Nursing in Alaska (Bethel, Barrow: food, housing, place)

[tenn73]

Originally Posted by Wynternight

That really depends on where you go. If you go to the Bush you'll make pretty good money and will likely get hospital subsidized housing. I don't know anything about child care there, though. You'll be responsible for your own housing in the bigger cities and will most likely make a few dollars less then you would in the more remote areas. Food is pricey in Alaska so feeding three people on one salary might be challenging.

That would be the thing that would keep me from coming.

[Dave5150]

Im really excited about the possibility of doing bush travel nursing. Like in remote villages. I know that people have done this though i dont know exactly how you do that. I know that there are travel nurse programs but im not sure if they do what i am interested in. Like being employed by a hospital or clinic that serves public health in remote villages and you travel from place to place...

[tenn73]

Originally Posted by Wynternight

That really depends on where you go. If you go to the Bush you'll make pretty good money and will likely get hospital subsidized housing. I don't know anything about child care there, though. You'll be responsible for your own housing in the bigger cities and will most likely make a few dollars less then you would in the more remote areas. Food is pricey in Alaska so feeding three people on one salary might be challenging.

What part of the Bush in Alaska would I want to look? I don't mind the remote areas. Not a city girl myself.

[roamingsoul]

Found your info very informative. Counting down til last child graduates from high school. Then I plan to travel nurse. Where else have you traveled?

[AADAD]

All of the Native Villages have governing bodies which hire, relocate and provide housing (if available) for in demand professions. I don't know the website but each Borough has one. In Kotzebue it is the Maniilaq Association.

Nursing in a remote village is quite well organized in my experience. Your experience would dictate which of the areas you could work in however OB, ER, ICU skills are sought after. You probably must have a couple years experience.

In addition there are Alaska Regions which hire through Federal Gov't. Here is a website which can help. Talk with them and see what you think.

Indian Health Service - Locations (http://www.ihs.gov/index.cfm?module=AreaOffices - broken link)

[Wynternight]

Originally Posted by tenn73

What part of the Bush in Alaska would I want to look? I don't mind the remote areas. Not a city girl myself.

That really depends on what you want. If you want very remote then look to Barrow or Kotzebue, both several hundred miles from Fairbanks. Bethel or Nome are closer to Anchorage and slightly cheaper then Barrow but still pretty remote and expensive. I'll be back in Barrow next month.

[Wynternight]

Originally Posted by roamingsoul

Found your info very informative. Counting down til last child graduates from high school. Then I plan to travel nurse. Where else have you traveled?

My first assignment was in Bethel. From there I went to Texas then Arizona. Now I'm headed back to Barrow as permanent staff at SSMH (which I was before I began traveling, the circumstances behind which are a whole different story).

[Wynternight]

Originally Posted by AADAD

All of the Native Villages have governing bodies which hire, relocate and provide housing (if available) for in demand professions. I don't know the website but each Borough has one. In Kotzebue it is the Maniilaq Association.

Nursing in a remote village is quite well organized in my experience. Your experience would dictate which of the areas you could work in however OB, ER, ICU skills are sought after. You probably must have a couple years experience.

In addition there are Alaska Regions which hire through Federal Gov't. Here is a website which can help. Talk with them and see what you think.

Indian Health Service - Locations (http://www.ihs.gov/index.cfm?module=AreaOffices - broken link)

Any number of travel agencies staff Alaska but mainly the bush regions. I haven't had a whole lot of luck finding travel positions in Anchorage, Fairbanks (my company had two) or Juneau. There's a company local to Anchorage called The Vortex Group that's looking for folks to work in Nome, Petersburg, Ketchikan, and Bethel (off the top of my head). I've spoken with the owner, really nice guy. I was thinking of going to Nome through them but reapplied to Samuel Simmonds in Barrow and got my old job back.

[Deadideva]

My husband and I are planning a summer trip ie. August to alaska. I am an RN with 20 yrs experience, in cardiac care and ICU, I lam planning on doing travel nursing in alaska starting in April 2014. Any suggestions or information would be appreciated.
I love adventure and would like to try living in nome or barrow .

[rntim]

I do ICU, ER, Flight. There are nursing jobs in Alaska. We (wife a nurse also) are in Sitka and at least 5 positions open. Travel nurses I've met go to Juneau, Barrow, Bethel, Petersburg, Nome. National travel nurse companies would have info. for you. We've come back to AK. for good. Worked in Montana, Arizona, Maine, North Carolina, Florida. We worked in Anchorage at Providence (awesome hospital) then headed south 2004. It was fun but we had to come back because Alaska is on wonderful place to live. Just know there is no place in the lower 48 that can really be compared to Alaska! Everything does cost more up this way but we found it was like living in the Keys, cost wise. Its worth doing some research about where you think you want to go before you tell a company you will do it. We've known many a nurse that couldn't wait to get out of here. Good luck and yes, it is an adventure!