If you made it onto this board, why can't you google for the RN license in California?

Why can't you google LA county hospitals?

You are going to have a difficult time finding employment as a new graduate without any experience under your belt. There is no shortage of RN's in California, due to the bad economy.

I'd really investigate your options before making a huge move like this.

and in case you can't google . . . http://www.rn.ca.gov/

(An RN x 30 years). RN licensure is by state only - there is no Federal licensure. Each state has its own regulations/requirements for transferring licesnes - it is not that you need to get your license "endorsed" as that you must have a CA RN license to work as an RN there. You can have RN license in as many states as you wish - as long as you meet their requirements.

As above, CA Board of Registration in Nursing is the place that will tell you what documents you must present, fees to pay, how to accomplish this with a NY RN license. For experienced RNs state transfer often involves proof of continuing education - although this will obviously not be relevant in your case.

While I have no direct experience in CA, in most areas of the country there is no longer an RN shortage - so seeking the "best" may be less important than just finding an RN job. And many specialties (labor and delivery is what you mentioned) prefer to hire only RNs with experience -at least general RN experience if not that specialty. It is expensive to train people.

You may have to do what RNs (and other professionals) have had to do forever - take a job that is less than optimal in way of location, employer, schedule - as a way of getting your foot in the door and work up from there (in nursing, that means working awful shifts in the unit of a hospital that is least desirable to others - sorry).

Get a job wherever you can with the VA http://www.va.gov/jobs/
If you spot a job opening in California that you are qualified for, the VA can transfer you and see to it that you get your endorsement in whatever state you transfer to.

My cousin is an associate director of nursing in a large hospital - supervising maternity and pediatrics, including a large NICU - and has told me she has difficulty finding nurses with enough experience in those areas - esp the NICU naturally. I can;t imagine this is an area in which they would want a new graduate without some sort of advanced degree (she is an NP with an additional specialty in neonatology as well as more than 20 years of experiencce).

Yes, the VA is well-known for it's outstanding L&D units.

Peaceout . . you needed to turn on the irony font

oops--that should have been >>Placename . . you needed to turn on the irony font <<

Sorry (not sure where that came from)

Sorry that some of your replies are kind of negative but really, going to a travel forum to ask how to get a nursing license?! First of all, your nursing school should give you that info (I teach nursing - we make it extremely clear what the potential grads need to do to get licensed in various states months before graduation. I cannot believe your school doesn't do the same thing.) Second, if you are graduating nursing school you should know there is no nursing shortage at present and you'll be lucky to get any job any where.

But to be fair.... Perhaps you are planning to move to California for some other reason than job related, and you are asking here hoping someone from California might be able to give you some info on the likelihood of finding a nursing job in that area. I don't know anything about the specific job climate for nurses in California but in general it's bad enough that unless you have some other compelling reason to move to that specific area I would re-think it. I would find the job first and then consider moving to whatever area the job is in.

I for one admire the young grad's posting a Q here - as if I was trying to do what she is doing - I would seek advice from all sourdes I could find.

As for getting a job in a different state - think you firs need to get properly licensed - and then - hey - come West and take a shot. If you have a few nickels saved up - you can enjoy the beach while you are job hunting.

I have a piece of advice too. As a new grad, you should work your first job in a more general area. For example a medical-surgical unit. Get at least 6-months experience BEFORE you seek a job in your chosen specialty. A year of experience will develop you and your skills more than you know. Good luck! Hermosa Beach is wonderful place to live.

I can't understand why you are asking nursing career questions on a TRAVEL forum. Makes me wonder about your actual skill set if you can't even figure where to get appropriate information online. It's pretty simple to start with Google and go from there.

Hey - IMO she received some pretty good advice on this thread - so why not post her question here?

Perhaps this thread would have been better received in the Lounge. And we do have some Fodorites who often post in the Lounge that are RN's or work in the medical field.

@gail: Thank you for a very generous information. Thus far was the most resourceful (that is related to the topic) I have ever read on this forum. Many thanks!

I would imagine it is the only thing you've read on this forum (that is related to the topic).

The original post was a year ago and the original poster never posted again - I hope she moved long ago and got the needed info

"Thus far was the most resourceful . . . I have ever read on this forum."

Probably so since you joined this morning. How did you find this old thread?

jj- good catch.. and pretty funny in its own right.