Some expert advice needed:) - SanDiego for New Grad?

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I'm looking for some advice related to New Grad RN positions around the San Diego, CA area and how to get there from my position. If anybody has any experience traveling or transferring their license. Or taking a separate state's NCLEX I would love to hear from you. Obviously the people I talk to in this area haven't done much traveling or don't plan to. It's hard to get unbiased advice. I have done a little research to try and figure out my best move, and I will continue to. Thanks in advance!!

I will be graduating from nursing school in Springfield, MO in December. My boyfriend is applying to a law school in San Diego in January. I have visited the area over spring break and I love it there. I think it would be a great place to kick start my new career. But I need some help. California is not a compact state, so I have to take the NCLEX specifically for them. I have looked at some New Grad residency programs but I haven't applied to any. Does anybody have any advice on good places to start? How to start? Where to start? Especially as an out of state new grad. This seems like a very challenging task I am giving myself, I don't know many people who have done it.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I know there are many people on here who have experienced more than I have and I would love to hear from you. I don't have a specific area I want to work in. I've heard keeping your options open is a good idea. I also want to get as much experience as I can in the first 2 years considering how inadequate I feel as a nursing student right now. I just recently got a job as a CNA in a hospital working on Neuro/Ortho. I have a previous 3 years of experience in a nursing home as a CNA. It was great patient care, but I never had any exposure to the actual nursing process and how the hospital works. Starting this new job has been a world of difference. I like it though! I should have done it a long time ago. I'm confident I could get a job as an RN there after I graduate. I still plan to apply as a backup if California doesn't work out. I've already looked into the cost of things.

I know a ballpark estimate of how much it will be to move my stuff there, how much the rent is, and all of that. It is much more expensive than Missouri. My outlook has always been, I have one life to live.. I might as well take the risk. I would rather experience it and make mistakes or memories than have all those doubts and "what-ifs" running through my mind. (I'm trying to make this thing long enough to be able to post, so if it sounds like I'm rambling it's because I really am)

If you currently work in a hospital in San Diego, are the Nurse Residency Programs good? Am I likely to get accepted? How do they interview for the job? Would I have to travel there? Or could I do a skype interview?

Do the hospitals even hire new grad nurses outside of their residency program? Like if I just applied for a position on a med/surg floor would I be a good candidate?

Could I start out doing traveling nursing in that area? Or do you have to have experience as a nurse to apply to those agencies?

I won't move there immediately after school if I don't have a job lined up so it's important I have all these answers prior to looking further into actually physically moving. It's a huge commitment and frankly I'm not sure what to do.

I've thought, maybe if I just pray about it... everything will work itself out.

If you have taken the time to read my post, thank you. I genuinely appreciate your time. I am new to this, I kept finding the discussions while I was googling questions I had and I figured I would sign up and here I am.

ANY ADVICE IS APPRECIATED THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Point of clarification & good news. You only have to pass NCLEX once. In order to work in a different state, you have to go through a reciprocity process whereby the new state will grant you a license in that state. At that time, you would have 2 licenses - one in your original state, and another one for the new state. It's a good idea to keep your original state license active unless you know for sure that you will never ever move back. Although the process is easier among compact states, you would still have to do it if you intend to practice nursing in a new state for longer than 30 days.

I'm sure that the Cali folks will chime in soon - they can provide you with more detailed information about the SD area.

Congratulations on your accomplishment & best wishes on your transition from student to practitioner.

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Specializes in OB, Postpartum, Nursery.

Northern & Southern Cali are over saturated right now. Getting a new grad job is tough. Doable for those who graduated from the area. Still doable for outsiders, BUT it takes a great deal of prep work and a little luck. PM for specific info. I can point you in a direction that will help you gather everything you will need to land on offer in Cali. The struggle is very real here for new and old grads.

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I know this post is from a while ago.. But I was just wondering what you ended up doing. I'm in a very similar situation and don't know if I should spend precious time looking for jobs in San Diego.

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