Anyone ever travel to an Indian reservation?

[webbiedebbie]

I'm looking for travelers who have had an assignment on an Indian reservation. I'm also looking for travelers who have been on assignment to Arizona. I am debating about accepting an assignment in these areas. I primarily work Postpartum.

Thanks in advance.

[cadillac05]

I've done assignments on several reservations. What kind of information are you looking for?

[2ndCareerRN]

I traveled to one and am now working full time on one. It is in Montanta though. It is a federal facility, not tribal. If you need answers to specific questions, post them or pm me.

bob

[Euskadi1946]

I'm looking for travelers who have had an assignment on an Indian reservation. I'm also looking for travelers who have been on assignment to Arizona. I am debating about accepting an assignment in these areas. I primarily work Postpartum.

Thanks in advance.

I worked as a traveler at Gallup Indian Medical Center in their OB/GYN Outpatient clinic in Gallup, New Mexico and loved every minute of it. Most of the nurses who work there are travelers from many agencies. I worked for Medical Express at the time. Be sure to check out the housing though because they couldn't find me a decent apartment and I ended up stayin in a rinky dink motel even though they had decent housing and a couple of nice hotels.

[bagladyrn, RN]

I'm looking for travelers who have had an assignment on an Indian reservation. I'm also looking for travelers who have been on assignment to Arizona. I am debating about accepting an assignment in these areas. I primarily work Postpartum.

Thanks in advance.

I have worked on a reservation both as a Federal employee before I became a traveler and as a traveler, in multiple locations as well as non Res. hospitals in Arizona (in AZ currently). I also work OB.

Let me know if you have specific questions I can answer.

[TRAVELERUSA1]

Are There Agencies That Specialize Or Send Travelers To Indian Resevations? Where Would I Find Info On Federal Indian Reservations? Thanks

[nightingale, RN]

Are There Agencies That Specialize Or Send Travelers To Indian Resevations? Where Would I Find Info On Federal Indian Reservations? Thanks

I know ON Assignment has some IHS (Indian Health Services) contracts. I have often thought of working at the facility in Shiprock, New Mexico. I am sure there are other agencies who work with IHS. I have heard good things about On Assignment; perhaps that is a good place to start.

My favorite way to find out how to work for a facility, through an Agency, is to call the facility Human Resources and ask them who they contract with.

[Selke]

Are There Agencies That Specialize Or Send Travelers To Indian Resevations? Where Would I Find Info On Federal Indian Reservations? Thanks

Several agencies are contracted with the IHS. For clarity, IHS faciliites are US government hospitals -- I am guessing they are similiar in ways to, say, the VA system because of that. You go through a lengthy background check, which may or may not be completed by the time your contract is finished. Other oddities not found elswhere smack you in the face, like everything has "property of US gov't" stamped on it -- considering the tragic history of US gov't vs the first nations, this can't build a positive healing ambience for the pts.

Anderson and Bates Staffing Solutions staffs mostly southwestern IHS facilities, RNs as well as MDs. Another traveller referred me to Dakota Med Temps, which staffs northern IHS sites, such as the Dakotas, Minnesota, &c. I'm working with a couple of RNs who are with Axis Healthcare. You can get tax breaks being a contract employee with the gov't.

I'm presently working in OB at Shiprock and will be finished in December with my assignment. I've had my taste of IHS and hope to return to the IHS as a SNM. I'd really rather work as an RN in a place with safer staffing ratios in my next assignment. Staffing, up-to-dateness of patient care policies and procedures, and staff attitudes, at IHS facilities is a whole 'nother story -- but to be fair may not be worse than many rural hospitals. I love the patients, the culture, the landscape, and have met a few amazing people here. There are whole other cultures more ancient than ours existing right here in the USA that most of us are woefully ignorant about -- you don't have to join the Peace Corps to experience a culture different from mainstream white Eurocentric culture.

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

I completed a 6 month travel assignment on an AZ indian reservation earlier this year.

[moonrose2u]

anyone been to one of the oklahoma indian hospitals as a traveler? pros or cons? if you worked with nurses over 50-you can send me a private message- as you might have guessed it, I am over 50 and don't want to get into a situation that is uncomfortable. if you have been to one on assignment, would you mind telling me i am considering a position but can't decide whether it would be better for me if i went as a traveler or became an employee. i haven't traveled before, and have two dogs and a much older husband.

any thoughts please??

[nurseangel47]

I once considered taking an assignment to work medical/surgical at an Indian hospital. But I wised up after they informed me I'd be living in a rentable (read worn out here) trailer (housing provided), taking a one and a half hour bus trip from the location of the trailer (read middle of the desert here) to the actual facility itself every day while on duty....um...yeah, couldn't see myself doing that somehow. I didn't take the assignment. Didn't actually sign anything either, thank goodness! Just multiple phone conversations to the agency.

[moonrose2u]

for those of you that worked as a federal employee: was the housing that was provided adequate or unsafe and rather nasty?

if you had more than one assignment which did you prefer and why? new mexico, arizona, or oklahoma?

someone mentioned unsafe ratios: how unsafe?

did anyone experience or made to feel unwelcome? you may email me privately:[email protected]

as you can guess, I am seriously considering an IHS spot.