Nursing Facilities

[Arrowchaser]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place for this thread.
We have been taking steps to move to Alaska. My wife is a registered nurse and has been looking for nursing jobs online.
In my opinion, I feel that many larger corporations are buying out the smaller hospitals and facilities at least in this area.
The problem with that is one specific corporation may buy up several hospitals within a 40 minute radius. In our case, a corporation
has bought at least three hospitals in a 40 minute radius. That corporation is not good to work for and treats it's nurses terrible.
So that greatly reduces the good choices of places to work within that radius.
Over the years, we have learned which companies treat their workers good while other companies treat their nurses like factory
workers. (Nothing against factory workers.) It's just that nurses do things like save lives.
One place she worked treated their workers terrible. She was basically there longer than anyone else after so many months because of the huge turnover. There seemed to be a complete disconnect between the corporation and the workers. Some facilities pay more and others may have better benefits.

It's tough for us to know which places are good to work for from our current location. Can anyone suggest which companies related to nursing are better to work for and which places should be avoided? We don't have the time to figure it all out on our own. We are looking at properties on Kenai and in the SE AK area. I have lived my entire life in a small town. So I would prefer to be located in a smaller community. We don't want to relocate to a area with limited choices just to find out that a facility is not good to work for and then have to move to a completely different area.

Thanks.

[soon2beinAK]

I am not sure which large corporations you have experience with, but I have worked for Providence Health & Services (although not in AK) for several years and am very happy with them as an employer.

[danattherock]

I spent 3 years working as ER nurse in Alaska. Nome was my favorite, small facility but great people! Worked in Kotzebue and enjoyed my time there as well. Spent less time working in Anchorage at Providence, but it was very nice facility. Nothing bad to say about any of them and my wife and I were travel nurses for 10 years so we have a good idea about how facilities differ. You guys should start doing some vacationing in different parts of Alaska and see what area you like best. We like it all ourselves.


Dan

[Arrowchaser]

We would like to be able to travel around AK. It's tough to do it from the east coast. We could use up a lot of money traveling that is needed
for moving expenses, new house, purchase replacement items, etc... We also have children so that adds to the cost greatly. The layout of Alaska also makes it harder to travel around. We have considered a cruise that would be around 12-14 days. If I remember correctly, it would cost something like 14k for the cruise and then the money to cross the lower 48, then all the additional cost. It could easily cost around 20k to look around.

Dan- Are they going to frack NC? Triangle area?

[danattherock]

Crossing the lower 48 is a plane ride from DC to Seattle. Taking a cruise to see Alaska is for old folks. I have collected a half million Alaska Air miles since 2003 traveling from NC to Alaska. While certainly not easy, it's doable. I would not move anywhere I had not visited. Some of the places I lived in Alaska would appear more like other countries to you than states. I would recommend a test drive before relocating your family to ensure a good fit.


Dan

[logman 49]

Seward, small town with a bunch of what Alaska has to offer. As far as nursing opportunities go. Prov hospital, Mountain Haven long term care facility, and several clinics, may be just what you are looking for.

[hogfamily]

I have several nurse and MD friends and colleagues that work at the Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna. They all love it.

Alaska Native hospital seems to be a good place to work.

Alaska Regional, many seem to be happy with.

Providence, some like it some don't.

Mat-Su Hospital?

http://www.cpgh.org/

http://anmc.org/

http://alaskaregional.com/

http://alaska.providence.org/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.matsuregional.com/mat-su-...nter/Home.aspx

[Bigrob]

I am the Security Sergeant at Central Peninsula Hospital. I have worked here for 7 years. We are a small town hospital that is very community oriented. Benefits are good. Good community to live in. I have lived in the area for almost 25 years. Have your wife call the Human Resources office and check in to help with moving costs. I know they have done it in the past with other RN's. We are a community owned Hospital also.

Soldotna is a small town with access to lots of hunting and fishing in the area. Not to crowded except for June-August.

[Arrowchaser]

I am the Security Sergeant at Central Peninsula Hospital. I have worked here for 7 years. We are a small town hospital that is very community oriented. Benefits are good. Good community to live in. I have lived in the area for almost 25 years. Have your wife call the Human Resources office and check in to help with moving costs. I know they have done it in the past with other RN's. We are a community owned Hospital also.

Soldotna is a small town with access to lots of hunting and fishing in the area. Not to crowded except for June-August.

I was looking for properties in the Soldotna area a while back. One property I noticed was a fishing lodge with some small rental cabins next to the river. I really really can't live in big towns like Anchorage. Anchorage is where most of the moving expense offers come from. I think I would
die internally if I lived in a larger town or city. I've lived in a small town all my life and I'm too old to change now. So I'd prefer a smaller community.

[Yukon Cornelius]

I was looking for properties in the Soldotna area a while back. One property I noticed was a fishing lodge with some small rental cabins next to the river. I really really can't live in big towns like Anchorage. Anchorage is where most of the moving expense offers come from. I think I would
die internally if I lived in a larger town or city. I've lived in a small town all my life and I'm too old to change now. So I'd prefer a smaller community.

Anchorage really isn't a large city. More like a large town. Have you checked into some of the bush hospitals?

[Team Kabob]

I have worked at Prov in Anchorage as a traveler and would love to go back there again some day. What area of nursing does she work in? Adults or Peds? ER/floors/icu?

[hogfamily]

Bethel Hospital is always looking for RNs. I bet Barrow, Kotzebue, and Nome are also.

[Arrowchaser]

Anchorage has about 300,050 more people than our current location. Quick search showed the population of Anchorage to be 300,950.
But there are several larger towns within a 45 minute drive from us.

I think many of the smaller community facilities only advertise locally. But we have seen some positions advertised in Barrow. But we wanted to
stay more central south or southeast.

Some facilities do not respond for months and then all of a sudden send an email saying the position has been filled. It's kind of like being picked last for a dodge ball game. Like anyone would be picked before us because we're so far away. But most of the people we have talked to are from someplace else. So someone originally hired them even though they were not local.

[soon2beinAK]

Arrowchaser- has your wife already sent away for her Alaska RN license? That was one of the first steps we took. Shows prospective employers you are serious.

We are coming up on August 31st, job in place or not. But we planned ahead and have reserves in place in case it takes a few months to land something.

I get the impression that the recruiters will take you more seriously if you show them your sincerity. They just don't want to be burned (probably again). Having a start date that you will be in the state, with an local address and an active RN license, might get you guys a better response.

Good luck. We arrive to eagle river in a few weeks. I hope you make it soon too!


Morgan

[Bigrob]

Arrowchaser- has your wife already sent away for her Alaska RN license? That was one of the first steps we took. Shows prospective employers you are serious.

We are coming up on August 31st, job in place or not. But we planned ahead and have reserves in place in case it takes a few months to land something.


I get the impression that the recruiters will take you more seriously if you show them your sincerity. They just don't want to be burned (probably again). Having a start date that you will be in the state, with an local address and an active RN license, might get you guys a better response.

Good luck. We arrive to eagle river in a few weeks. I hope you make it soon too!


Morgan

Great advice. She might look into a travel assignment as well.