Travel nursing in Alaska (Anchorage, Cordova: hotel, utilities, taxi) - (AK) - Page 7 - City-Data Forum

nutbckt · 12-06-2009, 11:46 AM

Thank you so much for the quick response. I have quite a few points to consider before taking off again to travel. If I do make it out your way, I don't think daylight would bother me too much as I have worked nights since 1978 and have had to deal with daylight sleeping most of my life. I hope to get out and see the local landmarks but am unsure as to how restrictive travel/getting around would be if I am carless. ($4k is rather cost restrictive for me) I'm not sure what help the travel companies would give, but I am still researching it. The assignments are 3 months long, but that seems like it would only give a small window of opportunity to see things. My specialty is emergency nursing, but I figure that I would REALLY need to brush up on hypothermia as I have limited exposureto those types of problems. Otherwise I'm assuming 20+ yrs exp in emergency nursing would be adequate. Do you happen to know how many beds the local ER has? I think I saw somewhere that the next closest hospital is around 700 miles away...is that true?

Floyd_Davidson · 12-06-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nutbckt

Thank you so much for the quick response. I have quite a few points to consider before taking off again to travel. If I do make it out your way, I don't think daylight would bother me too much as I have worked nights since 1978 and have had to deal with daylight sleeping most of my life. I hope to get out and see the local landmarks but am unsure as to how restrictive travel/getting around would be if I am carless. ($4k is rather cost restrictive for me) I'm not sure what help the travel companies would give, but I am still researching it. The assignments are 3 months long, but that seems like it would only give a small window of opportunity to see things. My specialty is emergency nursing, but I figure that I would REALLY need to brush up on hypothermia as I have limited exposureto those types of problems. Otherwise I'm assuming 20+ yrs exp in emergency nursing would be adequate. Do you happen to know how many beds the local ER has? I think I saw somewhere that the next closest hospital is around 700 miles away...is that true?

You sound perfect for the job! There isn't really much hypothermia, but when there is it can be pretty significant. ER here is the usual mix... domestic violence, ETOH, cardiac, and geriatric. Keep in mind that the population is just less than 4000, and the farthest that any road out of town goes is 10 miles. Indeed, there are only 3 roads that go out of town at all! The EMS system here is fairly well developed and you'll have paramedics or EMT III's that are very experienced. The ER room here is not colocated with surgery though! The typical response to anything semi serious is to stabilize and put them in a Lear Jet.

The nearest hospital is in Fairbanks, 500 miles away, but that is virtually never an option. Everyone goes to Anchorage, 700 miles away... with a few rare exceptions which might go to Seattle (burns, for example).

I did talk to a couple fellows this morning who know about housing for itinerant nurses, and they agreed it was excellent (one of these fellows is the maintenance supervisor, so I'd expect his opinion is valid).

As to seeing landmarks and etc, a car won't do you much good here anyway. Think about spending 3 months sometime between early April and late September. The "best" for getting out and about is probably June through August. The problem is that you need a 4-wheel ATV. That's going to cost from $3k to $9k depending on used or new, but you can almost certainly sell it when you leave too. Then you need a couple friends... which you've already made and just don't know it yet! I know of three old men who are very familiar with exactly what an ER nurse is, who would very much enjoy having another partner for trips up and down the beach and south of town on the tundra. All three have extensive experience in EMS systems (two of them literally have managed the system here), so you'd never run out of opportunities to tell war stories.

akvarmit · 12-06-2009, 05:19 PM

Just my 2 cents.....for travel nursing looking at the outlying villages is probably your best bet. I'm at one of the 3 hospitals in Anchorage, and we've gotten away from using travellers the past few months. Many of ours signed on as employees, as they tell it, there weren't many offerrings in the lower 48 recently. I think they're camping out for a while and seeing what the future brings.

nutbckt · 12-08-2009, 01:15 PM

Floyd. TYVM for the info. I have to say that you make it sound enticing. I visited your website and all of the beautiful photographs. The area indeed looks quite rustic as my friends would call it, but I am very comfortable with that. It would be nice to turn down the busy-ness in my life a few notches. I was wondering if the locals were opposed to someone watching or even participating with the whale hunt. I know that sounds weird coming from a girl, but I find it quite interesting.

Akvarmit is right about the jobs seeming to dry up...more than you know. I have been working for a local registry at my current job for over 6 months. Today they called me in after my shift and said they were cutting all 6 registry nurses and one of their docs. As of today I have no job. That kind of bites. I have been tiptoeing around, looking for different options, I guess now I have to get serious.

How bad would it be if I ended up coming in January? What would you suggest I bring? (I can't go very long without either diet Coke or some kind of chocolate) I was perusing jackets and the ones I feel that would be appropriate are over $600. Can you suggest a good/great line of wear to look into? I can't remember the name of the company I was looking at, but they are touting goose down as their main insulater. I am debating in investing in pants/bibs also or instead of the jacket. Hand protection that is functional seems non-existent.

Well, I'm seriously weighing options. Don't be surprised if you see some redheaded idiot from Ohio bumbling into town. I'll definately have to look you up if I get there! Of course, with only 4,000 ppl, I'm sure that won't be hard.

warptman · 12-08-2009, 01:53 PM

Come to Bethel....

http://www.bethelak.com/photos

http://careers.ykhc.org/job_start.asp (broken link)

nutbckt · 12-08-2009, 02:57 PM

Tempting...TY for the pics link. I'm still weighing options, so nothing is too far fetched. However, I have been mulling over travel to Barrow. The cost seems to skyrocket once you start traveling in Alaska. Getting to Seattle is a breeze, but after that...yikes!

blueflames50 · 12-08-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nutbckt

Tempting...TY for the pics link. I'm still weighing options, so nothing is too far fetched. However, I have been mulling over travel to Barrow. The cost seems to skyrocket once you start traveling in Alaska. Getting to Seattle is a breeze, but after that...yikes!

I can mail Chocolate up to you!!! let see flat rate box holds a lot of chocolate!!!

nutbckt · 12-08-2009, 04:08 PM

How very nice of you!

AADAD · 12-08-2009, 10:36 PM

I work as an R.N. in Anchorage and do flight to the remote villages. LL Bean Baxter State Parka will work at any of them $199.00. they also have bibs etc. buy some sub zero boots. and a baclava to protect your face. Many agencies staff Barrow including Emerald. Any of these remote locations will have a USP Office where you can have your diet coke and chocolate sent. course the local market will probably have both. It is a voyage of a lifetime =)

nutbckt · 12-09-2009, 12:07 PM

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful information. I can't believe how much of my pre-planning has been taken care of because of everyone here. Another thought...if I don't already have a passport, should I get one?

AADAD~TYVM for the above info. I had found the Northern Exposure site, but LL Bean sounds even better.