West Coast vs East Coast nursing

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How would you compare the two? In terms of staffing, pay, treatment of its nurses, unions??

I'm especially interested in New YOrk City and California hospitals.

Specializes in ICU.

Hey AfghaniPrinzess! Where in New Englad. I'm from new york, but am interested in traveling there. Primarily Connecticut. If you could send me a PM i'd like some info if you'd recommend your company and how great is the pay rate & housing. Oh yea, wondering if your company deal w/ a lot of new england contracts!

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Thanks for all the replies so far, you guys. I want very badly to move to NYC (it's always been my dream) but am currently working in the Pacific NW and want to prepare for the culture shock of nursing of the East Coast.

I feel like WestCoast nursing has progressed a little more. Am I just living in Dreamland over here?

As much as I love New York, I wouldn't move there to work as a nurse. Some of the hospitals are terrible there! And as for the poster who said that you make more money in NY, I don't know about that. Maybe its different now but travel pay in New York City used to be low compared to the outrageous cost of living there.

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.
No, there is absolutely no problem with dreaming. And I say this because, honestly, NY is my dream too! Haha...I live on the east coast and love it. I have family in the nursing fields, both east & west coasts. Both love their jobs..so your questions goes far and between. It really depends where you work, what floor or field, and how you handle it. If you love the big city...expect more patients, work, and well...better pay even. Good luck!

Mine too!! I want my first travel assignment to be there as i have many friends there. what kind of timeline are you guys looking at? I awnt to start traveling in about 6 months...

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.
I've lived in new york (bronx, westchester, rockland county) and i currently work in the city. My white plains hospital vs. my nyc hospital....very different. NYC, pay is great (i make $35.00/hr) w/ 1 yr experience, but you make it up w/ the amount of work. Although, since it's a teaching institution, i learn a lot from my NYC hospital. Personally, i only go to new york to hang out or work. But i'd never personally live there. It's too busy, noisy, crowded...besides i love the trees and mountains and rivers u here in the suburbs. It's actually my dream to go out west to live in San Diego or San Francisco....so travel nursing (in a year or two)...here i come!!!!

what type of ICU do you work in? Im looking for a decent Neuro ICU that needs travelers.

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I've worked in 4 of the 6 NE states and never had to do rotating shifts! Is this a relatively new thing?? Actually, in over 20 yrs of nursing from east to west, I've never had to do rotating shifts! (nor would I want to!)

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I've worked in 4 of the 6 NE states and never had to do rotating shifts! Is this a relatively new thing?? Actually, in over 20 yrs of nursing from east to west, I've never had to do rotating shifts! (nor would I want to!)

I'vedone a few assignments in the North East and also never had to do rotating shifts. I think it may be the specialtyof the poster, or something like that. I have picked upa few off shifts, but never did the rotating thing.

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I am from east coast graduate from University of connecticut. I worked in the east coast for 8 years, did some travel

nursing and ended up staying in Phoenix Arizona. Phoenix after 12 years, all I can say is nice place to visit, nursing is

horrible. I have never worked any where where there is such little respect for nurses. The numbers of foreign nurses is

staggering which keeps salaries low. The level of professionalism is staggeringly petty. I am a well trained cardiac/telemetry

nurse and the hospitals I've worked (some of the big ones) including a heart and lung transplant unit, 90% of the nurses

could not read the tele monitor rhythms. I have had experiences where patients have been in 3rd degree heart block for

three days and no one picked up on it. I have had experiences where patient's with malfunctioning pace makers were on

the unit for 2-3 days and no one noticed it. The important thing to know about Phoenix nursing is #1 DO NOT TRUST

YOUR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR. I have seen them lie about nurses just to make themselves look good. #2 If your from

the east coast and working in Phoenix, get yourself a good attorney on retainer. East Coast nurses are singled out and

harrassed like you wouldn't believe. I have 12 acquaintance nurses from the EC and we get together about once a month.

and exchange stories of harrassment, lack of educated nurses, the backwardness of the health care system here. Unfortunately for me I bought a house and property and with the market the way it is I cannot leave without taking a big loss or I would

of been out of here 5 years ago. So go to NY or Caifornia. You will find a much more sophisticated and better educated

field of nursing.

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