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.
I am interested in Northern Ontario Nursing as well. Any tips are appreciated! The place where I am looking at includes housing, so would need to pay for Phone, Cable and internet and food.
I worked for the James Bay Hospital System, FNIHB Sioux Lookout Zone and in Baffin Island for 5 years.
The north is an amazing place to work and there are many rewards. It also can break you down emotionally faster than anywhere ( I've worked in other countries, ER, L&D and community).
Its been a few years since I was up there but I found James Bay the worst to work for. Lowest pay, weird P&Ps regarding "senority" med errors, housing etc. Not recommended.
FHNIB isn't bad but the pay isn't much better than is the south. You make the money with OT. Hard to get away from the job since you generally live in the nursing station.
Food can be hit and miss. Ask around to see if there is a set up in which a more southern community has a store that will ship groceries to you. Sioux Lookout and Timmins had stores that would take your order, fill it, send it out to the airport and ship it up. Odd picking up groceries at the airport but having fresh fruit and veggies made it worth while.
Get out and meet the community. Go for walks, go to events. Be careful inviting members of the community back to the nursing station residence though. Other nurses may not want patients in the private areas of the station. Sometimes it is the only way to get away from the job.
The times I was working with other nurses who wanted to socialize was the greatest. We would have dinners, TV nights etc. A few times it was like a continous slumber party. When there is no one to socalize with it can seem like the days go on forever. I worked with a group up in Baffin that would come to the clinic, go into their exam rooms and go home. No interaction. It was only the fact that this community was the most beautiful place I ever saw and I hiked evey night that I made it through that contract.
Take up an ipod, load up a ereader, buy fishing gear in the community. Take casual clothing, nothing fancy. I worked with a couple who dressed in skirts, dresses etc and the guy wore a shirt and tie. The comminity thought they were nuts (they were but thats another story) T shirts, sweaters, jeans. Some wear scrubs - usually not needed.
It has been over 14 years since I interviewed and I know there has been MANY changes since then, at least in SLZ.
Actually, I did interviews for the new nurses for a while. I would ask general knowledge questions, scenerio questions, ethical questions. But that was years ago and each person interviewing is looking for a different thing.
A solid basis in basic nursing skills and reviewing DM, HTN, kidney disorders, STDs, and TB will help you. Basic Trauma skills (ie ABCs etc).
Check out this link to FNIHB. This is the nursing clinical guidelines we used when I was there. I am not certain if it is still valid but considering it is on the website, I assume it is.
This is a cookbook style of nursing. You see this, the patient complains of that, you do this. If the nurse follows the guidelines they are covered in terms of expanded nursing care (kind of like written directives)
I am not sure of the exact time frame, but I think it was somewhere within 2-3 weeks from the time I submitted the application to the time I was contacted for an interview. The interview was fine - they asked mostly case questions. I think they want to see how you think your way through things (i.e. the assessment). Whenever I was stuck, they asked me some leading questions that helped me problem solve my way through it.
Like the writer above, I also recommend checking out the "Outpost Nurse" page on the FNIHB website.
glittergal
15 Posts
I am interested in Northern Ontario Nursing as well. Any tips are appreciated! The place where I am looking at includes housing, so would need to pay for Phone, Cable and internet and food.
Any tips/advice?
glittergal