Bay Area Nursing Jobs
The 6 Best Hospitals to Start Your Job Search
Nursing school in the Bay Area can be an exciting experience. You get to learn new skills and explore a great career path in a supportive environment. Your first nursing job there will be even more exciting, as you’ll get the chance to help patients and make a real difference in their lives.
However, one of the least exciting aspects of hunting for nursing jobs in the Bay Area is the job hunting part.
Google makes this process a lot easier but there remains a lot of work to do on your part—namely identifying the best nursing employers, ensuring your resume goes to the right person, and continuously refining your cover letter. Then, there’s the waiting.
Is it all worth it? Absolutely.
To make the first step a little easier, we highlighted six of the best Bay Area hospitals where you can start your search. We will take a look at where they are, what they’re known for, and (most importantly) where to go to send in your application.
If none of the six strike you as “the one”, don’t worry! The Bay Area is full of respected and well-known hospitals and clinics that are always looking for hard-working, well-trained nurses.
1. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital – San Francisco, CA
Who They Are: With over 183 beds, UCSF Benioff’s Children’s Hospital specializes in emergency care and special treatment for young patients in the Bay Area.
Bragging Points: A 50-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery, recreational therapy, and multiple outreach clinics throughout Northern California.
How To Apply: All job information can be found here, including information on the training of RN’s who are just starting out.
2. El Camino Hospital – Mountain View, CA
Who They Are: According to their website, for more than half a century, El Camino Hospital “has had a reputation for high caliber physicians, innovative services and powerful commitment to meeting the needs of our community.”
Bragging Points: Home of the South Asian Heart Center, which provides screening, counseling, and education for Bay Area residents of South Asian or Indian descent, citing those populations as ones at a much greater risk of heart disease and diabetes. They also offer specialized healthcare to Bay Area Chinese community members through their Chinese Health Initiative.
How To Apply: Search available jobs by clicking here.
3. Saint Mary’s Medical Center – San Francisco, CA
Who They Are: The oldest continuously operating hospital in the city, St Mary’s Hospital was originally formed to care for a city suffering through cholera (later typhoid and influenza). Today, the hospital continues to operate on the belief that “all people deserve medical care, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or circumstances.”
Bragging Points: Part of a healthcare group called Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West) with 400 care sites across 22-states, including 39 hospitals. The hospital’s mission is to go beyond medical care alone, offering Chronic, Palliative, and Spiritual care as a part of their holistic care program.
How To Apply : Search and apply for work by clicking here.
4. Kindred Hospital – San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Who They Are: Kindred Hospital is a transitional care hospital—meaning they offer the same care as most hospitals, but they cater specifically to patients who have an extended recovery period ahead of them.
Bragging Points: Offering 99 patient beds plus a 10-bed ICU and two negative pressure rooms, Kindred is well-equipped to provide specialized care during those longer recovery periods. This includes programs that focus specifically on those recovering from a recent organ transplant, stroke recovery, post-intensive care syndrome, wound care, and IV antibiotic therapy.
How To Apply: Click here to search available jobs at Kindred Hospital (or their “at home” and hospice care units).
5. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital – Palo Alto, CA
Who They Are: A branch of Stanford Children’s Health, the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital is part of the only health care system in the Bay Area that exclusively focuses on pediatrics and obstetrics. With a total of 60 locations across the Bay Area, Stanford Children’s Health offers everything from treatments for rare and complex conditions to well-child care.
Bragging Points: Not only have they been ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties by US News and World Reports, but the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital just recently expanded, adding an additional 521,000 square feet to their hospital building.
How To Apply: Search open jobs and apply by clicking here. You can also test the waters as a volunteer by clicking here.
6. Eden Medical Center – Castro Valley, CA
Who They Are: A member of the Sutter Health family, Eden Medical Center “is the regional trauma center for Southern Alameda County and features many centers of excellence, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, birthing center, imaging, stroke and cancer care.”
Bragging Points: Eden Medical Center boasts 130 beds (all private rooms), but even more impressive is the Sutter Health not-for-profit mission. Sutter Health is known for reinvesting funds back into their communities, and claim to care for more low-income Northern California patients than any other health system.
How To Apply: You can find a list of open nursing jobs by clicking here.
Of course, there are over 30 hospitals in the Bay Area alone, and the ones we’ve highlighted only scratch the surface. Hopefully, as you learn more about your local hospitals, their rich history, and their unique missions, you’ll come to appreciate the job hunt experience as an opportunity to learn about all the incredible hospitals in this area of California.
If you are interested in becoming a nurse or a Medical Assistant, contact Unitek College today for more information about classes, current schedules, and opportunities.
