Wanting to live in WA sooo bad

[Foxfour]

currently, i live geographically in a place that i hate and have no desire to be in, and i'm somewhat without a job. i work prn in a nicu (when i'm not canceled or "on call"-which is a lot lately). i've been looking intensely for a nicu position (here and in wa) but no luck.

do you believe the desires of your heart are god's plan for you? if so then i'm meant to be a nicu nurse in the pacific northwest with a huge garden and some hiking thrown in on my days off. it' seems like a simple dream, but there are obstacles in my way--my husband's desire to stay where we are, losing my job (i was paying off debts so i can live in wa debt-free) and not finding a job in wa. i told my husband the solution seems so simple. i need to pack my car and start driving to wa, but the responsible person in me wouldn't. have you ever lived in a place where you didn't want to be but couldn't leave for reasons beyond your control? how did you cope?

i already had a college degree when i went to nsg school. i went back to college for 2 reasons--i wanted to be an rn and i wanted to get a degree in something that no matter where i went (the pacific northwest was the only place i wanted to go) i could find a job--hence, nursing. i used to tape pictures of the nw on my wall when i was in nursing school. it was like a stimulant that would keep me going through those grueling days of studying and remind me that i was going to leave this place when i'm finished. adding the 2.5 years it took for me to get my bsn with my 6.5 years of nursing experience behind me, you would think i have paid my dues to make my dream come true, but it's no where in sight.

i asked god in his infinite wisdom, if i meant to stay here then give me peace and take away this unsettling feeling i have, but it's not gone.

p.s. do any of you know of any full-time openings for an rn willing to work night or day?

[Blackcat99]

I use to live in eastern WA state. Everyone then said the jobs are located in the Tri-cities(Kennewick,Pasco, Richland)-eastern WA. Hopefully, things have changed now and you will hear that there are jobs available in the pacific northwest. Good luck.

[elkpark]

If living there is something you really want, maybe it would be worthwhile to expand your search outside of NICU -- if you could get any nursing job that would get you there, then you could continue looking for NICU positions after you were there, over time ...

Best wishes!

[Foxfour]

thank you for your reply, and that's exactly what i have in mind. i'm willing to get any nsg job and working my way back to nicu. my brother owns the ashley home stores in wa. i have thought about approaching him for a sales job until i find a nursing job, but unfortunately we are not that close, so that will be a last resort.

[hopefulpharmd]

I am in the same boat as I have family in the NW. I am working towards getting into pharmacy school simply because I tried the nursing school route and was just uncomfortable with elderly female peri-care. Sounds ridiculous I know, but it is true. Although I would say that nursing school is still on my mind as it is easier to get into than pharm school, and easier all the way around academically. That being said, I am no scholar either. I earned mostly A's in all of my nursing pre-req's, but am struggling with the upper level math, and some of the higher chemistry required to get in to pharm school. Also just want to say that I do not think that nursing school would be a breeze either.... I know it isn't. I have friends that have gone through it and they said it was no cake walk! I will find out next March whether or not I make it into pharmacy school. If I don't, then I will probably take another semester to finish up my bachelors, and then opt for the one year second degree nursing program. I have heard that you simply just "get over" the minor things like peri care and such. I really loved being with people and love learning the complexities of the human body as it is all so intriguing to me! I just want a job that I know I can support my family with (34 y/o, married with four children) and that is why either pharmacy or nursing.. Two vastly different fields with two different incomes, but all in all I just want to move out to the pacific nw too, and be with the family I have out there, and be surrounded by the beauty of God's creation. This Michigan life stinks, and I can't wait to get out of it! Thankfully my wife is fully on board with the move whenever it comes. So to the poster, I feel your pain!

[westcoastgirl]

I wish you the best but I have heard through the grapevine things are tough out there right now even for experienced nurses, although if you're flexible I'm sure it makes the search easier.

There is a RN here I think Linda who knows a lot about the RN pay (bad for this area's cost of living, there was a protest/rally in Seattle just recently) you may want to try and dig up her posts to ask.

[TristanT]

I just moved out of WA state (for a job) because there are no jobs in the Pacific Northwest for RNs without connections. And I mean even RNs who are flexible in terms of unit and shifts. It's all about who you know and the HR folks and recruiters are, at best, unsympathetic--probably because they are scared for themselves d/t hospitals cutting everyone's jobs left and right. I get that, but still... have a heart! I found that many many many RNs in WA state are in the same boat. I sent resumes, applied online, and interviewed 24/7. I ended up in some temp positions, but nothing consistent. I lived in a constant state of anxiety and doubt about myself. What a nightmare.

Lesson learned: No geographic location is worth it. I'm so happy to have my life back, even if it does mean shoveling snow occasionally.

[ONCRN84]

Check out the Tri Cities area (Kadlec Hospital, Kennewick General are two hospitals)... the pay is better than Spokane, cost of living is cheaper than Seattle, and the nursing market isn't as saturated as it can be elsewhere.

There are jobs in Washington. I moved in June and applied to several jobs. I was offered a job in Richland and 2 in Spokane. I don't have connections in any of the HR departments I was offered jobs at. Good luck! If it's what God is telling you to do, He'll make it happen!