References and finding a new job

I've been working at my current job for about 20 months, and this is my first nursing job. I'm looking to relocate and am interested in trying out a different area of nursing. However, my dilemma is this: Really my only references would be my nurse manager and fellow nurses. And should I really be letting them know I'm looking elsewhere when I very well might just end up staying if I don't find another job? Or is it considered normal to tell you're nurse manager you're just looking for other options (before giving a formal 2 week notice) and ask her to be a reference? The recruiting company I'm working with says they'll need a supervisor reference to find me job, but of course my manager and fellow nurses don't have any idea I'm interested in leaving.... I feel like I'm in a rut -- I'm new at this and would appreciate any feedback!
I'm in a similar situation, except that I've been with my current employer for only six months. I too would need references, but I don't even know how to go about approaching my fellow nurses for a reference when I haven't even hinted at leaving the facility. Hopefully the responses you get from this site will be helpful because I'm certain they may be helpful for me too!
What i did was approach my supervisor & tell her honestly that i needed to get another job closer to home and i would like to stay until i accept a job offer..she said yes, worked out fine...
Just be up front with them because eventually you will need their help either way. The last several times I went job hunting, the prospective employers never bothered to contact my references, so I could have been ok without informing them to be on the lookout for calls on my behalf. As a courtesy, I let my references know when I am on the prowl for a job.
Where I come from the interview is first. If they like you and you like them, you then provide them with references. It is not proper for them to be calling your supervisor and co-workers before you know anything about the job. If they want to check your references, that means they met you, they like you, and they want to hire you, provided the references have come back to their liking. They shouldn't be sending out references on all people they interview. Only those they believe they will be offering the job to. Make sense. Hope that helps. I use to do a little hiring myself.nrswrk