RN jobs in Madison

[bouleak]

I am hoping to move to Madison within the year and am interested to hear some input on the nursing scene there. From reading previous posts it sounds like it's a tough job market. Is this just in the hospital system or does this extend over all areas of nursing? I have almost two years of RN experience with over a year spent in a GI transplant ICU, and I have recently changed to a geriartric community RN. I've enjoyed aspects of both settings and am open to taking a job in pretty much any setting (though I do really enjoy the geriatric population).

Does anyone have any recommendation as far as going through a nursing agency or just applying directly to facilities? Also, I will be moving there from Pittsburgh and am wondering if anyone else has tips on nurses entering from out of state.

Thanks,

Angie

[farmerRN]

I hate to say, the Madison market is pretty much closed! UW hospital has had a freeze for over a year, and the other 2 hospitals will have the occasional opening or two! Not much happening in the whole state. And most likely there won't be a pick of jobs for quite sometime. Like alot of nursing schools...the schools have been pumping out nurses twice a year for quite some time. Way back in 2006, way before the economy turned south...Wisconsin was going to be the only state by 2010 (or somewhere close to that) with a nursing surplus. An with the state heavy in Manufacturing and alot of those jobs gone since the downturn, the state will be one that will take longer to turn around economically.