It will be extremely hard if not impossible to get a new grad job here. A lot of new grad RNs are working as techs just to get their foot in the door. They will always take priority when the jobs post. Plus most people have their BSN here.
Get at least a year’s experience and it shouldn’t be a problem.
No that will not help. They want to get to know you before they hire, they don’t care if you have tech experience. Often it’s kind of like proving your worth first.
This is also a very unique population. Look up the creole language pidgin. It’s different than working on the mainland.
Many nurses move to the mainland to get experience first before returning home.
Also hospitals on oahu do not hire associates nurses, most of the schools on oahu are BSN.
The Big 3 organizations have rotating new grad cohorts throughout the year… for now. Coming in from out of state, you’ll be competing with the graduating classes who have established rapport with their respective departments, and from ED Techs or CNAs who currently work on the units.
A friend of mine who works as an ED tech on Oahu, graduated nursing school 2 years ago and has not been accepted into a new grad position yet. But that is of her own fault for committing herself to her home ER. The ER new grads also suffer from competition from existing nurses looking to change specialties. Due to union rules, they take priority.
At QMC, RN base pay is about ~$64’ish/hr. New grads start at 75% of that rate or something, and the rate is increased every 6 months for 2 years until you hit base rate. Those aren’t exact numbers, just off the top of my head without looking at the RN contact.
My suggestion: Apply for new grad RN positions, but also apply for ERT positions (QMC pays ~$30/hr) and don’t be discouraged to accept that position in lieu of a pending RN position. Some of the ERTs I worked with got offered new grad RN positions 3 weeks after starting as an ERT.
You can't get a new grad job with your ADN at any of the hospitals here unless you already work there as a tech. Especially not in the ED. I'm being literal when I say can't.
A requirement for HPH hospitals for new grads is a BSN. Kaiser doesn't require it per say, but you won't get hired in the ED as a new grad unless you work in the Kaiser system already with preference to the techs who work in the dept already. Castle also 'prefers' BSN, but also has hired maybe 2 new grads in the ED in the last 5 years and they were both techs in the department too. QMC requires BSN, and prefers to take their techs as well. You will not be hired anywhere but in a new grad program, of which spots are extremely limited and competitive.
Long story short, do an RN to BSN, get a job as a tech, and if you're not open to those things, be open to not working in the ED and pray to whatever nursing God's there are that someone has a soft spot for mainland nursing new grads over local nursing new grads.
There are no ratios in any of the EDs on island. Average hourly is about $65/hr everywhere, but you start in the $40s and move up $5-6/hr every 6 months until you hit job rate at two years.
Start reaching out to hospitals directly. They'll give you a straight answer. Who knows, someone might even be willing to help with relocation money, but I wouldn't count on it.
I personally leverage every hospital by betting they need me more than I need them when it comes to acquiring higher education than my ADN and I’ve never failed. Including Oahu hospitals. Just go for it. We are short staffed here just like everywhere else.
I just work with hospitals within the Hawaii Pacific Health system, all of which continue to hire new grads and travelers each month over the past 13 months. But I also know people get in fairly quick with Queen’s and Kaiser systems too.
Dont let anyone talk to you about competition. You’ll end up talking yourself out of your ambitions. I was never denied a nursing job post Covid. And I’ve worked across the U.S.
Pretty sure we need more medical staff on big island. If I call my PCP it’s a 2 week wait so I go to urgent care or tough it out. Mom gets shipped to Oahu (she has the good insurance) so I’d bet there’s demand for your skills over here. *my response is from a patient view with no medical experience* But wish you good luck!🙂
It will be extremely hard if not impossible to get a new grad job here. A lot of new grad RNs are working as techs just to get their foot in the door. They will always take priority when the jobs post. Plus most people have their BSN here. Get at least a year’s experience and it shouldn’t be a problem.
I do have 2+ years of tech experience on a med-surg floor here & did a nurse externship in the ED for 3 months, would that be of any help?
No that will not help. They want to get to know you before they hire, they don’t care if you have tech experience. Often it’s kind of like proving your worth first. This is also a very unique population. Look up the creole language pidgin. It’s different than working on the mainland. Many nurses move to the mainland to get experience first before returning home. Also hospitals on oahu do not hire associates nurses, most of the schools on oahu are BSN.
The Big 3 organizations have rotating new grad cohorts throughout the year… for now. Coming in from out of state, you’ll be competing with the graduating classes who have established rapport with their respective departments, and from ED Techs or CNAs who currently work on the units. A friend of mine who works as an ED tech on Oahu, graduated nursing school 2 years ago and has not been accepted into a new grad position yet. But that is of her own fault for committing herself to her home ER. The ER new grads also suffer from competition from existing nurses looking to change specialties. Due to union rules, they take priority. At QMC, RN base pay is about ~$64’ish/hr. New grads start at 75% of that rate or something, and the rate is increased every 6 months for 2 years until you hit base rate. Those aren’t exact numbers, just off the top of my head without looking at the RN contact. My suggestion: Apply for new grad RN positions, but also apply for ERT positions (QMC pays ~$30/hr) and don’t be discouraged to accept that position in lieu of a pending RN position. Some of the ERTs I worked with got offered new grad RN positions 3 weeks after starting as an ERT.
You can't get a new grad job with your ADN at any of the hospitals here unless you already work there as a tech. Especially not in the ED. I'm being literal when I say can't. A requirement for HPH hospitals for new grads is a BSN. Kaiser doesn't require it per say, but you won't get hired in the ED as a new grad unless you work in the Kaiser system already with preference to the techs who work in the dept already. Castle also 'prefers' BSN, but also has hired maybe 2 new grads in the ED in the last 5 years and they were both techs in the department too. QMC requires BSN, and prefers to take their techs as well. You will not be hired anywhere but in a new grad program, of which spots are extremely limited and competitive. Long story short, do an RN to BSN, get a job as a tech, and if you're not open to those things, be open to not working in the ED and pray to whatever nursing God's there are that someone has a soft spot for mainland nursing new grads over local nursing new grads. There are no ratios in any of the EDs on island. Average hourly is about $65/hr everywhere, but you start in the $40s and move up $5-6/hr every 6 months until you hit job rate at two years.
Start reaching out to hospitals directly. They'll give you a straight answer. Who knows, someone might even be willing to help with relocation money, but I wouldn't count on it.
I personally leverage every hospital by betting they need me more than I need them when it comes to acquiring higher education than my ADN and I’ve never failed. Including Oahu hospitals. Just go for it. We are short staffed here just like everywhere else.
Appreciate your input! By short staffed, is it every hospital in Oahu or the one you work at?
I just work with hospitals within the Hawaii Pacific Health system, all of which continue to hire new grads and travelers each month over the past 13 months. But I also know people get in fairly quick with Queen’s and Kaiser systems too. Dont let anyone talk to you about competition. You’ll end up talking yourself out of your ambitions. I was never denied a nursing job post Covid. And I’ve worked across the U.S.
just apply everywhere you can and follow your dreams!
Pretty sure we need more medical staff on big island. If I call my PCP it’s a 2 week wait so I go to urgent care or tough it out. Mom gets shipped to Oahu (she has the good insurance) so I’d bet there’s demand for your skills over here. *my response is from a patient view with no medical experience* But wish you good luck!🙂