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I will be graduating next spring with a Bachelors in Nursing. I figured I might as well begin to stick my feelers out, and get a sense of the job market on the Big Island. Does anyone have any resources/local nursing groups that they are aware of in the area? During my research of the area I feel it would be wise to get the opinions of other nurses that actually work on the island! Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Kaiser medical folks just built a big (well, 'big' for this island) facility on the Kona side. There's a nice hospital in Waimea which is now run by Queen's Medical group. A new veteran's hospital was built in Hilo. Kaiser also has a hospital/clinic in Hilo and a few other clinics scattered here and there. Plus private doctors with their offices, although if they're going to do surgery, they go to one of the several larger hospitals.
Thank you for the information! I thought the only VA hospital was in Honolulu so thank you for the insight I will definitely be looking into it further!
Just for the sake of clarification, I believe that there are only outpatient clinics and no dedicated VA hospitals in the
Hawaiian islands. Honolulu does not have a VA hospital. If I correctly recall, there is a VA clinic in Kona town and the one
in Hilo that Hotzcatz described.
If you haven't already, you might also consider checking about open positions with the county government and public
schools.
Just for the sake of clarification, I believe that there are only outpatient clinics and no dedicated VA hospitals in the
Hawaiian islands. Honolulu does not have a VA hospital. If I correctly recall, there is a VA clinic in Kona town and the one
in Hilo that Hotzcatz described.
If you haven't already, you might also consider checking about open positions with the county government and public
schools.
Isn't Tripler on Oahu a VA hospital? It seems big enough! I'm not a medical person, so I dunno the various levels of medical facilities. Generally, if it's a large building, I label it 'hospital' and the smaller ones are 'clinics', but there's probably a lot more to it than that.
Isn't Tripler on Oahu a VA hospital? It seems big enough! I'm not a medical person, so I dunno the various levels of medical facilities. Generally, if it's a large building, I label it 'hospital' and the smaller ones are 'clinics', but there's probably a lot more to it than that.
Hi, Hotcatz.
As you know, Tripler Hospital is the large military hospital located up in Moanalua. Its primary mandate is to service the hospital and medical needs of active duty military, their dependents as well as military retirees and I believe, their dependents.
The DoD and Veterans Administration are separate governmental agencies with separate mandates.
The Matsunaga VA Medical Clinic is situated on the Tripler campus and adjacent to the hospital. That is probably where the connection ends. It is my understanding that Tripler admits veterans on a referral basis from the VA, but only on a space is available basis. Otherwise, veterans who utilize outpatient clinical services at Matsunaga or the Leeward VA Medical Clinic (there are two VA clinics on Oahu) are often referred to area hospitals such as Queens, etc. when requiring hospitalization.
Ah, your database is way more accurate and much more complicated than mine. In my much less accurate database, the listing under Tripler is "big pink hospital building for military people on Oahu hillside". I like it for it's pinkness. Someone told me they'd mixed the concrete on site when they built it and used some of the local Moanalua soil or cinder in the mix which is how it got to be pink.
I'd not even known there was a difference between a VA hospital and a military hospital, I'd kinda thought all military medical facilities (at least the ones off base) were run by the VA.
Since the OP has a bachelor's in nursing, but as far as we know isn't officially military, would he/she be able to work at a military facility? Although, the area of interest that was mentioned is Kailua-Kona, so being able to work at Tripler on Oahu probably wouldn't be all that useful to the OP.
Ah, your database is way more accurate and much more complicated than mine.......................
Since the OP has a bachelor's in nursing, but as far as we know isn't officially military, would he/she be able to work at a military facility? Although, the area of interest that was mentioned is Kailua-Kona, so being able to work at Tripler on Oahu probably wouldn't be all that useful to the OP.
Actually, Mrs. Rain Monkey often tells me that my 'software' (database, if you will) is in need of upgrading for a number of years now...usually when I've done something profoundly stupid and/or embarrassing....which seem rather frequent lately...or so I've been informed.
I am fairly certain DOD hires civilian nurses, however the OP should check to see the availability of jobs on the US government job posting website be it for the VA or other US government agencies requiring a BSN.
I suspect he/she already knows this.
It is my understanding that Tripler admits veterans on a referral basis from the VA, but only on a space is available basis. Otherwise, veterans who utilize outpatient clinical services at Matsunaga or the Leeward VA Medical Clinic (there are two VA clinics on Oahu) are often referred to area hospitals such as Queens, etc. when requiring hospitalization.
Hmmm, my now dead Father In Law was a frequent stay overnight guest of Tripler - never referred out to another hospital - so, I'm not sure they have a space available problem - not sure because he was a fairly high ranking officer though.
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I will definitely be looking into it further!
I like it for it's pinkness. Someone told me they'd mixed the concrete on site when they built it and used some of the local Moanalua soil or cinder in the mix which is how it got to be pink. 
