Want a CA job-Go to a CA school?

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Hi All,

I will be submitting applications for ABSN programs soon and I'm interested in getting some opinions on school choices.

I plan to apply to John Hopkins, Duke, Samuel Merritt and a few others. John Hopkins and Duke are my top choices for their reputation and then SMU for their proximity but I recently had a couple nursing friends mention that it is easier to get a a job in CA if you attended a CA nursing school. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this.

I'm willing to go to school pretty much anywhere in the U.S. but plan to move back to CA once I've graduated. I would think reuptation and quality of the program would trump all other factors.

Thanks!

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I have been an RN for close to 27 yrs and I have seen the profession change over the years. When I graduated there was a nursing shortage and it really didnt matter whether you graduated from a diploma, ASN or BSN program. Chances are you had a job and even started working before passing the boards. Today, its different. It is much harder to get into nursing programs. With that being said, if its not too costly I would suggest apply to the colleges that you really would like to attend. As for Hopkins and Duke they are good programs but I dont think they are worth the cost. Others may disagree. I know nurses that graduated from Hopkins and 6 months later have not found a job yet and with over $60,000 in student loan debts. This nurse was looking into the NY, PA and DC for work but now is looking to midwest for work. Good luck with your decision.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Connections are what will help you get a job more than anything. The few of us (I'm about to graduate) with job offers have them through people we know and connections we've made in clinicals. I would highly recommend trying to go to a program where you hope to work (sounds like SMU).

Reputation does make a difference, to some degree, but it's more about the experience that the nurses and NMs have had with student from that school. This isn't like law or business where a fancy name makes a difference, it's about the kind of nurses each school pushes out. For example, one school around here is known for nurses who are very good with the skills, another for nurses who know a lot about evidence-based practice, another for nurses who don't get off their butts, etc. Those are observations nurse managers can only make having encountered those nurses. While Duke and Johns Hopkins are fancy names, they don't have experience with those new grads, nor have they made any connections with them and seen how they perform in clinicals. My job offer came from a nurse manager on a med/surg unit who transferred to one of my dream units, and offered to line up my preceptorship. She liked how I did there, thus the offer was extended. Another classmate has an offer doing diabetes research with her endocrinologist. I know one classmate had to fly to Tennessee for a job interview (she's not sure if she'll take it if offered). Many are having to leave the Bay Area to find work- about 10 of our class of 23 will find work in the Bay Area within 6 months, according to the class above us.

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Thank you for sharing your experience, RunBabyRun. What school/program will you be graduating from?

Sutter Health, Stanford or Kaiser are my dream jobs but I'm not settled on a unit or specific area. I'd rather get in and get general experience and then choose a specific area in a few years.

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Thank you for your thoughts denicu. They were very helpful.

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Thank You. I try.

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Are you opposed to sticking around the east coast and starting as a new grad out there?

I went to Hopkins and just moved back to California. By staying out on the east coast I was able to start as a new grad in an ICU and used that experience to transition back.

The vast majority of my classmates landed positions in amazing hospitals / units right after graduation.

Also, my tuition and total cost at Hopkins was less than I would have paid (not much but still less) than SMU. Hopkins tends to give out quite a bit of scholarship money.

I was in your shoes about 4 years ago, shoot me a private message if you want more info / advice. Good luck!

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My job offer came from a nurse manager on a med/surg unit who transferred to one of my dream units, and offered to line up my preceptorship. She liked how I did there, thus the offer was extended. Another classmate has an offer doing diabetes research with her endocrinologist. I know one classmate had to fly to Tennessee for a job interview (she's not sure if she'll take it if offered). Many are having to leave the Bay Area to find work- about 10 of our class of 23 will find work in the Bay Area within 6 months, according to the class above us.

Sorry, I don't have enough posts to send you a direct message, but I think I've seen you at work, in your school blue uniform :) I've read a couple of your posts 'cause we went to the same college (I was in the last year that had to wear whites... yuck!) And, I work in the NICU so I know the story of the med/surg manager who transferred. So funny to 'see' you here. Welcome to our little work world, and congratulations on the job! I'll be seeing a lot more of you! :)

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Are you opposed to sticking around the east coast and starting as a new grad out there?

I went to Hopkins and just moved back to California. By staying out on the east coast I was able to start as a new grad in an ICU and used that experience to transition back.

The vast majority of my classmates landed positions in amazing hospitals / units right after graduation.

Also, my tuition and total cost at Hopkins was less than I would have paid (not much but still less) than SMU. Hopkins tends to give out quite a bit of scholarship money.

I was in your shoes about 4 years ago, shoot me a private message if you want more info / advice. Good luck!

gunrock - I thought about staying on the east coast for a while (I have family in Jersey and Virginia) but my husband plans to stay in CA while I'm in school and neither one of us really want to move make east. Being away from him for 13-17 months is one thing but 2-3 years....not so much.

I read that Hopkins provides a lot of scholarship and grant money - which is appealing - but then there's housing.

Unfortunately I haven't posted enough to private message but I'd love to hear about your experience at Hopkins and your job hunt once you moved back to CA.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Thank you for sharing your experience, RunBabyRun. What school/program will you be graduating from?

Sutter Health, Stanford or Kaiser are my dream jobs but I'm not settled on a unit or specific area. I'd rather get in and get general experience and then choose a specific area in a few years.

I'm graduating from Sonoma State's prelicensure BSN program.

Just FYI, Kaiser is notorious for NOT hiring new grads, as in, they won't even consider you. I know someone VERY high up with Kaiser, and it's not enough. I have a friend who worked there before nursing school, and still they wouldn't hire her without RN experience.

Hopefully, by the time you graduate, the job market will be better, but yeah, right now, we're taking what we can get! You may find some areas speak to you more than others once you're in school and rotating through various units, but it's definitely good to keep an open mind when you're entering the job market!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Sorry, I don't have enough posts to send you a direct message, but I think I've seen you at work, in your school blue uniform :) I've read a couple of your posts 'cause we went to the same college (I was in the last year that had to wear whites... yuck!) And, I work in the NICU so I know the story of the med/surg manager who transferred. So funny to 'see' you here. Welcome to our little work world, and congratulations on the job! I'll be seeing a lot more of you! :)

Haha, yeah, I put plenty of identifying info here- luckily I have yet to put my foot in my mouth (as far as I know...). I'm guessing I know who you are. Looking forward to seeing more of you on the fourth floor! :)

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I'm graduating from Sonoma State's prelicensure BSN program.

Just FYI, Kaiser is notorious for NOT hiring new grads, as in, they won't even consider you. I know someone VERY high up with Kaiser, and it's not enough. I have a friend who worked there before nursing school, and still they wouldn't hire her without RN experience.

Hopefully, by the time you graduate, the job market will be better, but yeah, right now, we're taking what we can get! You may find some areas speak to you more than others once you're in school and rotating through various units, but it's definitely good to keep an open mind when you're entering the job market!

I've heard that about Kaiser. CPMC is at the top of my list - they're expanding their campus locations and should be opening a new 300-bed hospital right around when I graduate. Plus I put in a lot of volunteer time there and plan on returning to volunteering there when I start my program. The campus that I volunteered at actually started pulling new hires from their volunteer pool so I'm hopeful.

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