Tripler Medical Center- New Grads?

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Specializes in Clinic Nursing, Family Planning, OR.

Hi all! I graduate this May with my ADN/RN and will be getting a Michigan license. My husband is an active duty Army sergeant and we will be relocating to Oahu. I've heard the hardships of new grads trying to find jobs on the island and am obviously growing concerned with any chance of finding my first job. I've always hoped to work for the VA and am very interested in working at Tripler Medical Center in Honolulu. Does anyone know how the job opportunities are for civilians there?

I have 3 years hospital experience as a CNA/Tech in physical medicine/rehab, telemetry, med-surg, and a little ER. Not sure this will help me at all but just trying to give a better idea of what my resume will look like.

With my husbands job we have a steady income and benefits, so i'd be willing to take any job status, any unit, and if needed, any shift.

I'm just hoping for advice or input from local nurses or military spouses on the VA there. Thanks so much! :D

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i would strongly suggest

you do not rush and get your rn in hawai'i. huge mistake!!!

pass your nclex -rn. get it done & over with.

maybe get your rn license in the state you live in now. (double-check this one thing - i think you will need an rn license in another state before you can get an rn license in hi.)

get your cna license in hawai'i. with 3 years experience, you'll have a good chance of getting a job as a cna. pick up shifts at more than 1 hospital if you can. get to know 2-3 hospitals if you can. find out which one likes you best.

after 6 months working at the hospitals, after you have proven yourself - then talk to the people in charge, and ask if they will hire you as a new grad rn. only after they say yes.... that's when you apply for an rn license in hawai'i.

if you have an rn in hawai'i, and you try to apply for a job as a cna, a facility hr dept can easily reject you. "our nursing unions will give us major problems. they will say... jc is an rn. what is she doing, working as a cna?"

so, the facility will keep their unions happy and just never hire you as a new grad.

also... do everything you can to show the colleges you are a resident, and go on for your bsn.

also... read the last year of posts on these boards. really read them.

lisa ;-)

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You can get in-state tuition via military clause if on orders here-check with financial aid or admissions.

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The only experience that counts for an RN job is if you are an RN. Nursing managers in Hawaii don't give a hoot if you were a CNA, tech, or paramedic for 30 years-if you don't have 1 year experience as an RN, good luck. Some have said that Tripler has opportunities for new grads-these are folks who completed their BSN through HPU here on Oahu, though. Try to contact the nursing dept at tripler, or see if you can get in touch with Sheila Bunton-Ms. Bunton worked with HPU and Tripler at last I knew and therefore might be a good resource to ask.

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Tripler gives preferential hiring to military spouses that are relocated with active duty members stationed in hawaii.

1.877.880.2184 - call that number and you can get some info! its the civilian medical hiring people, who put civilians into jobs in mil hospitals/clinics.

good luck!

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Is this just a Tripler policy? because we are coming from Hawaii to Ga, and we couldn't get preference in Hi because we were not married before we moved here. Now, going to Ga, we can't get preference there because we were told that this applies only to spouses who were GS before PCSing. WTH? this is BS.

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Is this just a Tripler policy? because we are coming from Hawaii to Ga, and we couldn't get preference in Hi because we were not married before we moved here. Now, going to Ga, we can't get preference there because we were told that this applies only to spouses who were GS before PCSing. WTH? this is BS.

well... i'm assuming you didn't get preference in hawaii because he was stationed there before y'all were married? but if you call the number, and check it out online they say blatantly that the policy is to give preferential hiring to mil spouses! i'm pretty sure that's a policy with lots of civilian jobs with the military.

and if you PCS'ed with him, i'm sure that you should get preferential hiring. maybe they just aren't hiring? where are you applying? you can message me back if you want since this is the hawaii section =)

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It doesn't matter at all where you take the NCLEX. If you want to take it in Hawaii to be with your husband, then do so. Don't work as a CNA for three years while you're in Hawaii. If you do this, you'll still be a new grad then you PCS back to CONUS or wherever. Just reiterating, it doesn't matter where you take the NCLEX. It transfers everywhere if educational requirements are met. If your school is accredited, no worries.

You can get preferential status for hiring at military/govt facilities. Pursue this. I realize the RN situation in Hawaii is particularly bad but just keep trying to get a RN position even if it is doing something you don't particularly want to do. It's ridiculous to advice a RN to work as a CNA for three years. As a former military wife who worked as a RN in Oahu, I would hate to see you take this very bad advice!

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It doesn't matter at all where you take the NCLEX. If you want to take it in Hawaii to be with your husband, then do so. Don't work as a CNA for three years while you're in Hawaii. If you do this, you'll still be a new grad then you PCS back to CONUS or wherever. Just reiterating, it doesn't matter where you take the NCLEX. It transfers everywhere if educational requirements are met. If your school is accredited, no worries.

You can get preferential status for hiring at military/govt facilities. Pursue this. I realize the RN situation in Hawaii is particularly bad but just keep trying to get a RN position even if it is doing something you don't particularly want to do. It's ridiculous to advice a RN to work as a CNA for three years. As a former military wife who worked as a RN in Oahu, I would hate to see you take this very bad advice!

i graduate nursing school in july, and then i'm moving to be with my husband. i'm going to take the NCLEX in hawaii, and i have no ambitions of applying or taking a CNA job, i totally get what you're saying about still being a new grad RN even with CNA experience, the two jobs are totally different and experience as a CNA won't go on your resume as RN experience.

there seem to be some call-in agencies hiring new grad RNs, its just not full time work. i'm going to get a non-nursing job for money reasons, and then try to go the part-time route if i'm totally unable to find a fulltime RN position.

i agree with everything you're saying though!

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Good luck to you on getting a RN job in Hawaii! It was a totally different situation when I was there. Basically, a RN could write his or her own ticket. Just don't get discouraged and don't give up. Also realize that you're in a different world over there.....learn and adapt. You'll be just fine!!

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Good luck to you on getting a RN job in Hawaii! It was a totally different situation when I was there. Basically, a RN could write his or her own ticket. Just don't get discouraged and don't give up. Also realize that you're in a different world over there.....learn and adapt. You'll be just fine!!

thank you so much! i know i'm heading into a tough market, but its worth it for me personally (my husband!!). i'll just do my best and try to look for every option i can. the market has changed so much the past few years, and its not getting easier in a lot of places on the mainland too.

i've spent a total of about 5 weeks in hawaii, and my husband has been there since 07. i know its a pretty different place, but i'm just focusing on the positives, and i've gotten some really good advice on adapting and making a positive impression on the people i meet there. i just have to stay humble and accept that i'm a stranger in a place that has a lot of pride and a very different culture. i have the hardest time ever pronouncing hawaiian words though, i have gotta get better at that!

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You have a great attitude! I treasure the 3 1/2 years I had there. It was a hard transition but well worth it. I learned so much about many things. Living there is a great experience.

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