Willing to move across country, help?

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 19, 2014

I would recommend that you start by making a list of places where you have close family or friends. Many hospitals have been "burned" by people in your situation over the last couple of years.

1. Good new grads can't get jobs in their home towns because they don't have experience

2. They get a job somewhere else

3. The hiring hospital makes a big investment in the new grad's orientation and in mentoring them for the first year of practice

4. The now "nurse with 1 year of solid experience" can now get a job back home, so they move home.

You don't want to appear to be that type of person. So, being able to talk about your family/friends who live locally ... and how they have encouraged you to move there will help you become a member of the community ... and how you don't really want to live in your home town permanently ... and how this new town seems like a nice place to live long-term, especially with your family/friends there, etc. (See what I mean?) That kind of talk helps you look like a better job prospect than the person who is only applying to that hospital because they have jobs available ... and who will leave once you get the experience you need to get the job you really want.

Experienced nurses can be "up and running" quickly. But a hospital needs to make a big investment in a new grad and needs to see a return on that investment in order to be willing to have it be worth their while. So choose places to apply where you can convincingly market yourself as someone looking for a long-term home, and not a short-term learning experience. It can be a real turn-off if all the candidate talks about is what a great learning experience it will be and how it will help them achieve their long-term goals (that have nothing to do with us.)

hardkorthree · Jan 19, 2014

Thank you for the advice. I can see how hospitals have been burned by the new grad that stays for a year and leaves. I'll keep that in mind as I apply for future jobs, as that might have been one of my flaws in previous cover letters and interviews. However, I believe I would stay at a location a long time, as long as they provided great support for my career, life outside of work, and had advancement opportunities.

Most of my family and friends live nearby, but I believe I could be able to explain how I've wanted to relocate away from home for the location, sports teams, and people.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 20, 2014

However, I believe I would stay at a location a long time, as long as they provided great support for my career, life outside of work, and had advancement opportunities.
Most of my family and friends live nearby, but I believe I could be able to explain how I've wanted to relocate away from home for the location, sports teams, and people.

Sounds good ... but keep in mind that few hospitals actually provide the "great support ...etc." That's the issue. So they prefer to hire people with roots in the area who will stay because they actually want to LIVE in that area -- with only average "support etc.". The hospital doesn't want to have to provide you with "great support etc." to get you to stay.

hardkorthree · Jan 21, 2014

I guess I should clarify on this "support". Your average support might just be great support from where I am coming from. I'm not looking for a ton, I come from a factory where I worked 75 hours a week every single week.. I've worked every single weekend for probably 25 straight weeks at the nursing home I work at, and that will continue to be the case. So "outstanding out of this world support" for me would be 36-40 hours a week in 12 hour shifts with an occasional weekend off so I can run a marathon again, attend a sporting event, or try to learn how to ice skate/play hockey. A hospital would provide more of a challenge in my career.

bristolrover · Jan 21, 2014

You may have better luck in the big cities of Texas.

Bubbles · Jan 22, 2014

Actually you would and should mind being paid only $15.00 an hour as an RN! Sounds like you are a hard worker and you don't want to sound desperate. Lots of nurses are having a hard time finding employement, but you have a professional nursing job and soon you will actually have a year's professional experience. Keep looking and keep working. Are you licensed in a compact state?

loveLPNs2014 · Feb 12, 2014

Michigan & Texas would love you!!!!

krisiepoo · Feb 20, 2014

North Dakota

South Dakota

Outstate MN (ie not the Twin Cities)

Vibra Healthcare in Fargo, ND gave me an interview within days of applying, they have retention bonuses as well. They have a ton of locations

Have you contacted Indian health Services? On their website (don't have it off hand) they have a list of their recruiters

Have you tried the VA? They have locations in various places, the application process is quite involved but lots of opportunities

Scarlettz, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2014

I relocated across country for a nursing job. It has been a great opportunity and I was happy to get a job offer. I recommend that you apply for a nursing license in whichever state you are interested in. I know that the licenses are pricey so you really have to have some interest in the state you want to relocate to and there has to be some demand for nurses in said state. I have applied to a few states states without having their license without much luck (though I did get a call back from a hospital in ND without having a ND license.) I personally think it looks like you have more of a genuine interest in relocating if you have the license already. Plus, it gives you more of an edge compared to other out of state applicants w/out the license.

I would suggest looking into ND, TX, and NM. I received a few calls from NM facilities and accepted a job here. I think it is a pretty rad state and the weather sure beats back East. I am also pretty glad that I got a job here as oppose to ND (brrr!)

Concerto_in_C, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2014

Look at rural areas and small towns. Stay away from big cities (Indianapolis, Chicago, etc.)

The cons of big cities:

1) Unit managers and recruiters have a chip on their shoulder. Too many candidates, too many nursing schools, so they are arrogant, they think they control the job market

2) Cost of living is prohibitive

3) A small house costs $250,000-$300,000--outrageous in a city that doesn't hire and doesn't have jobs. A quarter of a million dollars for a house so ugly, it looks like made in Russia. This is big city life.

4) Stress, traffic, congestion, crime associated with big city life

Pros of living/practicing in a rural area:

1) You can buy a beautiful home for $120,000, well within the means of a registered nurse. You can pay it off very quickly. Your buddies in Indianapolis will stay in their little studios until doomsday, unless hubby pays the bills (I'm single so I don't have the spouse support option).

2) Quiet country life in a quiet area-lots of farms and green trees and golf courses

3) The value of a BSN is much higher because the average rural nurse is an LPN or ADN

4) Management is much nicer--they are eager to hire more BSN and it shows during the interviews

A couple years down the road if you want to live in Chicago or Indianapolis you can--if that's what you want. I didn't, because when I realized how much more I could afford living in Oregon,IL or Byron,IL with a nursing salary, I'd be a sucker to ever return to Chicago.

Good luck

hardkorthree · Mar 14, 2014

I figured I would post an update. About two weeks ago, I officially began working as a medical/surgical nurse at a small hospital in Indiana. The hospital actually owns the nursing home in which I previously worked, so I was still inside the company system. I am still unsure of what my future holds, but this is the first foot that I have been able to get inside before it slams shut.