Years of experience before moving?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

Personally, I would recommend obtaining two to five years of acute care hospital experience in addition to a specialty certification before relocating.

EllTee2B · Apr 7, 2015

Everyone wants to move to California!

Keen Observer · Apr 7, 2015

Personally, I would recommend obtaining two to five years of acute care hospital experience in addition to a specialty certification before relocating.

Semi-related question, I, too, am planning on entering a (CSU) BSN program this Fall. I am resigned to relocate out of state to work in an CCU or ICU, but, obviously, I prefer to remain in state. What steps can I take to increase my chances of working in a California ICU or CCU after graduating?

SquishyRN, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

Semi-related question, I, too, am planning on entering a (CSU) BSN program this Fall. I am resigned to relocate out of state to work in an CCU or ICU, but, obviously, I prefer to remain in state. What steps can I take to increase my chances of working in a California ICU or CCU after graduating?

Get excellent grades. Volunteer. Network. Cross your fingers and hope for the best ðŸ˜Š

dcwang · Apr 7, 2015

i'm entering nursing school in CA too and I'm not very interested ICU/ER while a majority of my peers are...

allnurses Guide · Apr 7, 2015

Let me start by saying California California is not all it's cracked up to be. While wages are higher the cost of living is also very high - Next to New Jersey and New York we have the third highest income taxes and property taxes in the nation. We are in the middle of an epic drought with mandatory water rationing and the job market is particularly sucky at this time. Still the sun shines almost every day and you can go to the beach in the am and snow skiing in the PM if you locate yourself right.

My husband and I are actively trying to leave California - but he's in aerospace so most of the jobs are here. So we save like crazy with the hope retiring somewhere rural.

Hppy

misscurls · Apr 7, 2015

I was born and raised and still am in Southern California. A lot of people who live here (not necessarily nurses) want to move out of California because it's a hard state to live in. We are in a major drought, the cost of living is very high (gas, taxes, rent, buying a house for 600 K in a different state costs 900K here). I'm not saying it's an awful state but if you want to make a good living and save money then I would recommend you get a job outside of California. If you have your heart set out on getting a job in California, then you can make it work! Best of luck.

ShondaJ · Apr 18, 2015

I agree with hppygr8ful and eekxitsem. I was born and raised in California. From Northern California but have been in Southern California for soon to make 15 years now. It is too expensive, the nursing jobs are not easy to get, there are a lot of graduates and experienced nurses having a hard time finding jobs that already live here. We are in extreme drought, taxes are high and cost of living is very high. You have to watch where you live and traffic is horrendous. If given the opportunity to move out of state I will take it in a heart beat. Being in California all my 42 years of life, it has only went down hill. Never up from what I have experienced. Anyone wanting to come to California will probably want to return to where they were or find another state. A lot of Californian are moving out to Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia from what I have heard throughout my years of living. I am looking at Georgia myself. I work for the government so I know it won't be Real Hard for me but it will be hard enough. It is even worse for anyone trying to come here.

I went to visit family in Arkansas and the $80,000 home my cousin had that looked like a mansion would cost over a million dollars in California. You will find homes under $200,000 that a nice size and a lot of space unless its possibly in foreclosure or in a very bad neighborhood. So please if you plan to move, have money saved up and be prepared to get only half of what you earn in pay because taxes are a killer here and rent is high.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2015

A lot of Californian are moving out to Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia from what I have heard throughout my years of living.

Yep. I'm a native southern Californian who relocated to Texas nearly 10 years ago. After some initial culture shock, I have not regretted my decision to leave CA.