Questions about working in New York City

SweetSouthernLove, ASN, BSN · Apr 16, 2014

With my personal experience after moving from my home state (Florida) to New York City due to marriage and finishing school there is this: New York is a one of a kind place, it was also my dream to move and live there and take in all that the Big Apple had to offer. Whether you are an RN or in another occupation entirely commuting will be the biggest factor in your happiness while working. I had a vehicle, which is an ideal situation in this type of environment for the simple fact that SO MANY people commute to and from work on a daily basis by either walking, subways, or even cabs. The snow is also something else to consider when commuting and what you are willing to invest daily depending on which hospital you wind up working for. As of right now, it is still snowing in April, coming from the south, it was overwhelming difficult to endure during the winter months and made going to work a nightmare for me (again this is just my experience).

I also lived in the Williamsburg, Brooklyn area which is up and coming with more hipsters and transplanted college kids looking for the same type of life, which was also a positive while I lived there because it was such a mix of people from all over the country. If you are looking for THE hospital to be apart of I would suggest Mt. Sinai Hospital/Health System in Manhattan. It is about 30-45 minutes in a cab to this location, but they also have a location in Brooklyn that is apart of their Health System. This is also a teaching hospital so really the opportunities are endless. If I was back in New York as an RN that would be my first choice. There also numerous other hospitals, I suggest doing some research and googling the hospitals and see where you might be best suited.

As with every other aspect of life in New York City, the job market will always be tough, competitive, and even downright cruel when it comes to people who are not Brooklynites or New Yorkers. People from all over the WORLD come there to do the same exact thing, armed with every kind of competitive quality you can think of. Be persistent, be extremely knowledgeable in your area of nursing practice as well as killing those interviews. Interviews are the first piece of yourself that you are giving away to say, "I know what I am doing MORE SO than the rest." These were the things I had to learn as I lived and experienced New York being from Florida. I did eventually move back to Florida realizing that I wanted sand, summers, and that relaxed type of beach life where I can really build my empire without the hustle and bustle of the big city life. I wish you the best of luck and make sure to have plenty of fun because it can be a really wonderful experience!

12reasons2run · Apr 17, 2014

Thank-you for the advice. I currently live in cold and snowy Wisconsin (where we still have snow on the ground, Uggg!!!) so the weather is not a deterrent to me. However, I hate driving especially in the big city so I wasn't sure if I was even going to bring my car. I don't mind walking and coming from rural Wisconsin, the subway is exciting though I'm sure that will wear off soon enough. I figure if I prioritize apartment location close to the subway that should work okay. Plus I have family in the city who have vehicles and would help me out if I really needed a vehicle.

I currently work in a teaching hospital and really enjoy it so that aspect of Mt. Sinai really appeals to me. I had already figured that the job market would be much tougher than it is here in Wisconsin, so I'll keep that in mind when I start my job search. Since I have family in the city I figured I would get a job first and crash at their place for a few weeks while I hunt for an apartment. Hopefully that will eliminate part of the stress of moving cross country.