Alaska Emergency Rooms

[jenny031]

Wanting to find out information about the ERs in Anchorage/Wasilla area. I believe there are 3 hospitals in Anc. Does anyone know how many beds they have, nurse/pt ratio, what is the morale/staff like? Also any information about the new hospital in Wasilla area. I am planning to do some travel nursing in the area starting this fall. The hospital websites didn't give alot of information so I thought maybe I could get some first hand knowledge from someone. I have friends that live around there but they are non-medical so they aren't much help!

[JMBM]

There are 2 private hospitals in Anchorage, Providence and Alaska Regional. Providence has by far the larger ER, 32 rooms plus associated urgent care clinic and psych er. At any given time, there are 10-14 nurses (including float, triage and charge) and 2-4 docs on duty. Alaska Regional has a small ER - 1-2 docs, a few nurses. They are located closer to the main highways and so see some of the motor vehicle cases. There is a public health hospital, Alaska Native Health Center, which has an ER midway in size. They see almost exclusively native patients. Due to various socio-economic factors that go way beyond this poor soul, ANMC tends to see more trauma than Providence or Regional, although not nearly the same volume of patients as Providence. There is a brand new private for-profit in Palmer, about 40 miles north of Anchorage. Don't know much about them, as they've only been open less than a year. As far as morale? I have friends in all 3 Anchorage ERs. ANMC has magnet status and the folks there seem most enthusiastic about their facility. Providence and Regional have their fans and their detractors, although overall, folks seem pretty positive. If you are looking for a real Alaskan "adventure" , you might consider the smaller facilities out in the bush. The ENA Alaska website has a listing of facilities and links to websites.

[patricelynne]

Hi There---All the "travellers" I've worked with in the past at Prov were pretty-much pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it is up here. MANY have stayed, married here etc., and that's after nursing all over the United States., ARH is union, Prov is not, although the union tried and nearly made it during the last decade. There's a sense of sisterhood/brotherhood that sets in living and working in "the Greatland." I'm from Maryland originally and I do miss my eastern siblings, but I doubt I could stand to move away from here. It'll either capture your heart and "follow" you as you compare everything to Alaska---or it won't. Hope you love it as much as we do. Get a 4-wheel drive and come with an open mind.-----Best---an Alaska nurse