STFXNurse

I got a tattoo when I graduated in May with my BScN and it has nothing to do with nursing. I wanted something small that I can hide when I'm old and gravity has worked its magic! (haha). I play the fiddle and music is such a big part of my life so I got a tiny black treble celf. I must say it did feel good to finalize 4 LONG yrs of school with a tattoo. My only advice is to think long and hard about what to get before it is on your body forever. (my friend got one too, she got a red, canadian maple leaf).

Hi, I'm a reccent 2006 grad from Stfx in Nova Scotia!! Myself and 2 other classmates are moving to California to work. Are there any other maritimers out there in California? It's gonna be a big change but can't say I'll miss the snow all that much. I'll still be a Nova Scotia girl at heart!

Hi, I am moving to Torrance with 2 other Canadian nurses next week, just wondering what hospital you've been hired too? We are working at Little Company of Mary. Also my 2 friends and I are going to live in Torrance, to be near the hospital. Do you know of any good apartments? What areas of the city should we stay away from? Thanks for any info, maybe I'll see ya around.

Hello, I have been hired onto a medical cardiology floor that has telemetry units and I am a new nurse, just out 5 months now. Are there any books/reasources anyone could reccomend that I get, to help me in caring for cardiac patients? I am trying to find a book, relatively easy to understand, on EKG interpretation and cardiac disrrythmias. Any suggestions or tips would be so helpful, thanks alot !

Hello there! I am actually planning on going to California too! Torrance Ca, which is on the coast as well. The hospital I am being hired at is realitively small and use to teaching. I also have a 3 month orientation: 18, 12hr shift preceptorship mixed in with classroom time. I am going to be working on a medical cardiology floor with telemetry. It looks like a VERY fancy hospital compared to what I'm use to in little ol' Nova Scotia. But I'm sure it will be an adventure. I am going with 2 other friends that I graduated with. I am very excited to be around palm tress and sunshine!

Hey, thanks for the fast reply! I am from Nova Scotia and just graduated in may from St.FX. I am wondering how long you've been working for. Did you find experience in Canadian really benefited you in the transition to the states? Where are you from? Do you like nursing in California and is the US medical system hard to get use to? Thanks for all the helpful tips!

Wow, I'm so glad I found this posting! I have been graduated 4 months and am working on a general surgery floor. Some days I wonder "what am I doing here!?"....like many of you I feel like my 4 yr degree was for nothing and am completely clueless half the time. But I love what one of you said about picking 3 positive things you've done in your shift instead of focusing on your faults! I figure it can only get better from here.....every experience is a learning one!

Thanks for the reply! How long have you nursed in California? Do you like it? What part of nursing are you in?

Hello, I am a young Canadian nurse that just passed her CRNNS and NCLEX!! woohoo! I am hoping to work in Torrance, California and am wondering if there are any Canadian nurses out there willing to give me a little heads up about the area and nursing down there. Any advice would help. I'd love to meet up with other Canadians down there! Thanks for the info! Stfx. Nurse

Hello, I am a soon to be graduate nurse from Canada and am thinking of moving to Torrance. I am wondering what people think of the Little Company of Mary hospital in Torrance. It looks beautiful! Does anyone know what its like to work there? Is it a trauma center? How big is the hospital? Any information you could share would be great!!

Hi, I was wondering if someone could tell me a bit about the Torrance area? I am a Canadian, who is graduating from a BScN program in May and am looking at this area to work next year. Is there any new Canadian grads down there now? What is the pay like? Is this area very far away from the coast? What are the living expenses like? Thanks alot for any info!!:)

Hello, I am going to be a new grad in the spring from a Canadian BScN program. I am wanting to relocate to somewhere warm and have been speaking with a recuriter from the travel agency about the Monterey area. I am wanting to know what are the hospitals like in the area? Are they receptive to new grads? What is the area like and are the living expenses very high? Finally, does it have a fairly young population? If anyone who knows about the area could respond that would be great! P.S are there many Canadian nurses in the area?

Hey, I'm from Nova Scotia and am finishing my 4th yr of the BScN program at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. I am enjoying it and can't wait to be done. There is a week until I recieve the world famous "X" ring and am so excited! ST.FX is the #1 undergraduate university in Canda for the 4th year in a row!!

Thanks luilui_604 for writing me back! I am thinking of going into a Med/Surg floor first to get my skills underneath my belt and my confidence up and then eventually maybe go into a stepdown unit. This past summer I spent 10 weeks in ICU which I absolutely loved, but would like to work up to that. Thank you for all the great info you provided me with! I am glad you like your job. I am talking with a recuriter ( Canadian Travel Nurse Agency) right now who has contacts in the San Fran area she seems very nice and is nurse herself and has done travel nursing. Do you feel there is a benefit of going through a agency to find a job rather than researching hospitals on my own? Did you feel that working in Canada first before heading down to the states is something I should do? Do you find you are saving much money living in California? I am very excited about graduating and also a little scared to start off on my own. I would be so apperciative if anyone could answer any of these questions! Where are you from in Canada? I'm from the Maritimes, N.S girl!

I am graducating in April 06 with a BScN. I am wanting to move down to california but am wondering how other new grads from Canada found the transition. Right now I am talking with a recuriter about the San Fran area. Is it a nice area to work in? I know the cost of living is high in california but what would a 2 bedroom apartment be a month? Is the orientation that a new grad recieves sufficent? My last question is for any canadian grad, are there any regrets you have about moving to california to work? I'd love to hear from anybody, that has good advice to share!