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What to Expect: Travel Nurse Jobs in California
If you’ve never worked in the Golden State, you might be in luck. There are hundreds of hospitals and facilities that offer travel RN jobs in California and a travel contract or two can definitely benefit your career. If you’re considering working as a travel nurse in California, here are a few things that might make your decision easier.
About California
While most people think of big cities in California, traveling nurses can actually choose from cities, suburbs and even rural communities when picking their assignment. The state’s nearly 39 million people are spread out over 163,000 square miles and some of the country’s biggest cities are located in California. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Riverside, San Diego, Sacramento and San Jose all have more than two million people in the metro areas. California is also growing rapidly. All of its major cities have seen population growth over the last 10 years, some more than 10%. This creates a greater demand for healthcare, which in turn creates a greater demand for nurses and other healthcare providers.
If you’re from a small state and want to experience travel nursing in California for yourself, you might be surprised at how spread out the state is. The coastline is 840 miles long and the Pacific Coast Highway is a known tourist destination, with some spending up to two weeks meandering through the coast.
Although people usually think of the beach when California comes up, temperatures are anything but hot in much of the state. Places like Death Valley, Fresno and Bakersfield get hot in the summer, with average highs above 90, but San Diego and LA both have average August highs in the 70s. San Francisco is even cooler.
Why California?
There’s a lot of opportunity in California. Travel nurse jobs are plentiful and are among some of the highest paid positions (more on travel nurse salary in California later). It’s true that expenses can be higher in the state, but many nurses prefer working in CA because of the strict ratios that are mandated by law.
Hospitals in California
There are more than 400 hospitals throughout the state and U.S. News & World Report added 68 of them to its list of high-quality facilities. Some of these facilities include:
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (LA)
- Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital (Stanford)
- UCLA Medical Center (LA)
- UC San Diego Health-La Jolla and Hillcrest Hospitals (La Jolla)
- UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco)
- Keck Medical Center of USC (LA)
- UC Davis Medical Center (Sacramento)
- Scripps La Jolla Hospitals (La Jolla)
- Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (Newport Beach)
- John Muir Health-Walnut Creek Medical Center (Walnut Creek)
- Torrance Memorial Medical Center (Torrance)
- Eisenhower Medical Center (Rancho Mirage)
- Huntington Hospital (Pasadena)
- MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center (Long Beach)
- Providence Saint John’s Health Center (Santa Monica)
- Providence Mission Hospital-Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach (Mission Viejo)
- UCI Medical Center (Orange)
- John Muir Health-Concord Medical Center (Concord)
- Loma Linda University Medical Center (Loma Linda)
- Sharp Memorial Hospital (San Diego)
- Kaiser Permanente Anaheim and Irvine Medical Centers (Anaheim)
- MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley)
- Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center (Chula Vista)
- Providence St. Joseph Hospital (Orange)
- Providence St. Joseph Medical Center-Burbank (Burbank)
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make in California
Like everywhere else, travel nursing in California pay can vary by location and specialty. Before you sign a contract to work as a travel nurse in California, work with your recruiter to understand what your contract includes. Things like pay, reimbursements, time off and even what shift you’ll be working should all be spelled out in your contract before you agree to take a job.
Getting a License for Travel Nurse Jobs in California
If you’re already a nurse in another state, getting a license shouldn’t be too difficult. The first step is to make sure you have a license from another state. California does not participate in the nurse compact so you’ll need to get a separate license before you can work there. The licensure page from the state has all the steps you’ll need to take to get your California nursing license. Currently, licensing takes about 10-12 weeks to go through the entire process after your application has been submitted, but it’s possible to take longer. If you’re considering a California assignment, start the process much earlier than you think, just to be sure you’re not left scrambling.
Things to Do in California
California is a huge tourist destination and there’s plenty to do. Remember though that California is huge so you might not be able to fit everything in during your time there. But here are a few options.
- Visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park.
- Explore Yosemite National Park
- Relax on the beaches like Santa Monica Pier or Malibu
- Drive along the Pacific Coast Highway
- Wine tasting in Napa Valley and Sonoma
- Hike in the Redwood National and State Parks
- Explore San Francisco
- Tour the tech scene in Silicon Valley
- Ski or snowboard in Lake Tahoe
- Experience Hollywood
- Visit the Getty Center
- Relax in Palm Springs
- Go whale watching
- Explore Joshua Tree National Park
- Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Experience the nightlife in Los Angeles or San Francisco
- Attend a music festival like Coachella or Outside Lands
- Go surfing in San Diego
- Explore the culinary scene
- Take a hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley or Temecula
Finding Housing in California
Finding housing in California for your nursing assignment can be easy, as long as you’re willing to pay for it. Housing can be expensive which is a harsh truth for some folks, especially if you’re from a place with a lower cost of living. Traffic in some areas of California can also be a problem that limits your housing choices. Because of this, it’s important to consider your commute times before you sign a lease.
Housing may be less expensive in smaller communities, but you may have fewer housing options. If you’re working in a smaller town, your recruiter may have some ideas or options for housing. If they’ve had travelers in that community before, they’ll be able to ask their network for options that are safe and affordable.
Is a travel nurse assignment in California right for you? If so, chat up a Triage recruiter to see what your options are and let us help you get where you want to go.