Information from people who have worked Northern Ontario Reserves Fly In

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Hello, I am a 31 year old Male Nurse living in Central Ontario, I graduated in May 2003, have 2 years of emergency room service in a large Emergency room, as well as just over 1 1/2 years as a med/surg nurse.

I have a contract to work February 18th - March 14th on a Remote Fly in Native reserve at the local Nursing Station.

Since I am going in kind of blind to this type of nursing is there anyone at all that can give me any information on what to expect, what I should bring, what if anything i should brush up on.

Any information you can provide would be great. I have been searching for blogs and whatnot of nurses who have done this particular type of work but am so far unsuccessful.

Thank you in advance for any information you all can provide.

:up:

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no, I have not worked in a northern location, but years ago when I was expressing interest in working in the north, a friend took me on a small plane trip for a visit to a little nursing station up in northern Manitoba (north of Flin Flon). Small facility with a few beds.

I wish you all the best.

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Friends have worked outposts and basically, it's never the same from one day to the next. Brush up on all your skills. Everything from alcoholism to premature births.

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Thanks so far. I have started looking up various things that I know are more of a problem in northern communities, like premature birth, drug, and alcohol addiction, suicide, knife and gunshot wound, Diabetes, Tuberculosis, among some other things.

What I would really love to read about is some of the personal experiences. Like the coordinator I am dealing with said to bring warm clothes and food, but I would love to hear from some of the nurses about things to bring that they may not have mentioned that have made the differance. Or how the community accepted you, somme real life personal experiences from this type of nursing, I know there has to be some great experiences and some not so great.

I think when I get there I may start my own blog, outlining what it is like in a day to day remote northern ontario reserve nursing job.:specs:

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just remembered a friend of mine who went up north to teach in a remote community - a lot of alcohol problems and therefore parents with the same problems as their children still wouldn't understand when their children weren't doing well in school (suicide); and my friend, living alone in a little house or trailer, would phone and tell me that in the night various people would be around throwing rocks threw her windows; all I could suggest was that she call the police.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

I am sure you know this already but I am guessing you may see lots of diabetes. There are native genes in my spouse's family and diabetes has affected almost everyone in his family. Another friend of mine who is a vet did a stint up north and said there was lots of drinking. Looking forward to your blog.

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Hi

Just saw your post and thought I would tell you my experience

About 10 yrs ago I went to a fly in post in northern Ontario

It was very very very cold the food was very very very expensive.

The hospital was modern and well run the staff were great the house

I was given was very nice. It is a great experience for a single man

not a family man. It is very isolated and lonely. Most staff do not

stay very long. There is nothing to do there and nothing to see

no stores no movies very limited TV and radio no newspapers no

books no fast food. You just go to work then go to your house

eat sleep and then go back to work. The money is no more than in the south and by the time you pay for food and the rent on the house you are farther ahead to work in the south. I can tell you more if interested let me know

good luck and all the best :nuke:

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I see this was posted a year ago, just wondering how everything went?

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I see this was posted a year ago, just wondering how everything went?
yeah, I'd be quite interested to see that blog.
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Specializes in NICU, Outpost Nursing.

Any update with this?

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

moved to Canadian Nurses forum :)

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Hi everyone,

I'm a RN in Ontario since December last year.I'm international trained nurse with 10 years experience but since I got my licence in Ontario ,I applied and applied for any job(FT/PT/casual) but everyone ask me to have Canadian experience.

I tried to get observation placement in hospital but they refused me because I don't have insurance.

I am planning to apply in Northern Ontario to work in First Nations and Inuits Communities.

Anyone who have experience with Nursing in First nations Communities recruitment process will tell me.

I thank you all who will help me !!

Mi8kali

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