Camelhappy1

The situation there has probably changed - it's been over 4 years since I last worked there. You both might really enjoy it, but it wasn't my bag. However, there is always South Padre Island! At least that is a cool little spot. Every place has it's benefits. Good Luck to both of you

I worked at Harlingen VB in 2004-2005. I lasted 9 months. I found the staff vicious in most areas (except the CCU, which I was transferred to after a horrible ER experience). Transferring pts to the floor was unnerving sometimes, as we knew what the nurses were like. I hated Harlingen. Not a great place to live. I spent a lot of time in Brownsville with friends and liked it (more happening than Harlingen). Definitely both areas have their crime BUT Brownsville is pretty bad. Any bordertown is. I was recruited from Canada and they said EVERYTHING to get me to come down to Texas. I absolutely to this day regret going down there. I was hired into the ER and they literally threw me in with NO ONE wanting to preceptor me or any courses to support my the ER practice. Then they got ****** when I wanted to transfer up to the CCU. VB Brownsville I never heard to much about. I worked with a girl in CCU who picked up OT there and didn't say too much about it. All I know is she said they were chronically short staffed. People would rather work/ live in Harlingen than Brownsville I guess. If you can get into the CCU in Harlingen, I would recommend it. In 2005 they took new grads and gave you all the courses/ support. I learned tons up there and it was a true team. Take Care

U of A (Edmonton) has an advanced nursing course with a focus in mental health - I believe you do end up with your mental health NP. Read the master of nursing page very closely, and MH is listed as one of the specialties. I've looked into this also, as I would like to do this - I start the online advanced nursing course in mental health through Mount Royal College (Calgary) in September. My only concern is the job market for a Psych NP.... I would eventually like to become a MH counsellor, so I think that this may be one of my only options. Unfortunately Canada is behind when it comes to using NPs in specialty areas - esp MH (more options in the USA)

That's true. Things changed practically overnight. Hopefully the picture will be clearer in terms of nursing in the near future... If doing the NP program will be a financial burden, then maybe right now may unfortunately not be the time... But keep in mind those options for the future....

I am not an NP, but I had a thought..... I have worked up in rural northern Alberta for the past 3 years - the last year and a half of those for a Cree Reserve. Therefore, I was employed by the Band (affiliated with Health Canada). They were going to pay for my full schooling to become an NP, as long as I stayed on at the job for an other 2 years on completion of my NP. Everything was a go, but I decided last minute it was not what I wanted. Maybe find a Reserve that may do this.... However, with young kids, keep in mind that you may have to relocate. Health Canada also employs nurses for reserves and they definitely pay for your NP education - again, return of service is necessary. Health Canada might be the way to go, as they truly are AMAZING to work for. I got tons and tons of education and topnotch training with them (even though I worked for the Band, we were "under" HC). Check out their website. BIG on continuing education. One more thing: I know Alberta has a Northern Education Bursary, if you live up in northern Alberta. They even have an exclusive program for NPs - up to $40,000, if you agree to work in northern Alberta afterwards.... Maybe BC has something like this too???? From the NPs I have talked to, some wished they had never bothered, but some think it is ok. However, the ones I know all work in isolated fly in communities (reserves) and have to deal with all kinds of ****. Everyone agrees the schooling was beyond intense... That was my deciding factor - not a lot of enthusiastic NPs with high job satisfaction from the gals in MY area. However there are so many opportunities as an NP, and if it is what you want then go for it. Good luck! Camel

Double post error

I earned almost $100,000 2 years ago when I was an RN in a rural hospital in northern Alberta. In rural areas they are typically short staffed, so the overtime is INSANE! Don't forgot, OT is double pay in Alberta... I had over 500 hours of overtime one year. I took a year off to to Public Health for a Native Reserve and now am ready to return to the hospital. Currently I am doing a full-time position at a rural hospital and also casual Public health on a Reserve where I live. I expect to earn very close to, or over $100,000. Also, I do have to promote rural nursing, as the experience is truly invaluable. If you get the chance, do it. You will learn to do everything on your own - just you and your LPN calling the shots... great experience. I have had to run codes on my own! FYI - Health Canada pays their RNs very well. Usually no OT in non-isolated areas though. You can expect a salary of $80,000 - $90,000 a year for doing Public Health/ Homecare. Now, if you go to a fly-in community, then you are looking at $100,000 with call pay. BUT, the sacrafice is that you are on-call 24/7. Remember though, money is not everything. I just about lost my marriage due to the hours I was working. I am working now in a MUCH nicer environment, with fewer beds and a smaller community. At least I don't get home at the end of the day anymore ready to have a nervous breakdown ... Be very picky where you are going to work if you will be doing lots of OT, as you really will spend most of your time there.

Hi there! When I first entered nursing I was convinced that it wasn't my calling. I figured that I would give nursing a chance anyway and then decide after a year or two if I would stay with this profession. Now I have been an RN for nearly 5 years and have worked in 5 different areas - med-surg, ICU, ER, rural and now public health. This is my message to you - nursing has SO MANY different areas, that chances are you will find one you like! You can go conventional (hospitals/ clinics) to adventurous (prisons/ rural outposts). The only area I truly LOVED was rural nursing, but after gathering 500 hours of overtime last year I had to say enough. This is where I felt like a true nurse - being the only RN (with one LVN) in a busy facility. Making critical decisions during each shift, to even running codes by myself. Now I am doing public health on a aboriginal reserve up north and love it (love the 8 hour days)! I never saw myself being in this area, but I wanted a happier work environment, nicer coworkers and decent hours. I just want to tell you that each nursing job is so different..... but that's the beauty. Who says you have to work to work in a hospital? There are some really adventurous jobs out there! Go to Alaska - go work on a reserve in Arizona - work with women inmates - work as a sexual health nurse - be a mental health worker... and so on. The possibilities are endless! You will find your niche and therefore be at peace with nursing. Go for it girl - I can honestly say it is worth the adventure! Good Luck! Camel

Hey! I currently work "on the Rez," and love it! I work in northern Alberta on a Cree reserve. Initially I was at the insanely busy rural hospital on MD land (Rez 200 ft away), but jumped ship to challenge myself with Public Health. I am a band employee, which is uncommon in Alberta. Most nurses are hired under First Nations Inuit Health Branch - part of the government (Health Canada). With this you get a TON of courses and continuing courses. It seems like I am away more on courses than I am at work! It is the complete opposite from working in the hospital where you never get to go on anything. I don't speak cree, but I've never had any problems. I love being able to drive around the reserve and visit clients. Homecare/ PHN are much in demand on reservations. Violence is an issue on EVERY reserve, which is fueled by boredem and alcohol. I must have seen probably 100 stabbings/ bad assaults while in the hospital here BUT 99% knew their attacker. In fact, most of them were friends - but fights break out over alcohol and women. Actually the women are ten times more aggressive than the males! If anything, the community will see you as an asset and look out for you. I used to go running by myself up and down town, and the only people who harrassed me were the white rig pigs! My husband and I plan on staying here for 4 more years. Southern Alberta - Pincher Creek area, has Blackfoot reserves. Pikani is the main one, and it is a Blood Rez. There is another Blood reserve by there that hires Band nurses. If you want to be close to the mountains, this is the place to be. Please send me a private IM and I would be happy to point you in the right direction. Camel :0)

Hey Girl! I just entered PH after 4 years in the hospital setting. I think I have finally found my niche. Currently I am working up on a Native Reserve in Alberta and get to do it all. I do initial baby visits, prenatal classes, intakes, communicable dieases, immunisations and hopefully I will be specialising STI/HIV.... we might even start to do cerivcal screening, STI testing. Driving around the reserves everyday and getting to know the community on a more therapeutic level has been so healthy for my career. I almost quit nuring in January - and then I decided to stay in this community and take on the role of a PHN. I think it depends on where you work city vs. rural. Rural you will probably get to do more. However, in the city you each have an "area." One nurse will do prenatals or baby home visits or school teaching or STIs or Travel Clinic. I can't live without diversity. One thing that everyone at the hospial told me before I left for PH - "you'll find it SO boring." Not true - it's fascinating. Be open minded, willing to learn and remember that people really put their trust into you. If you say you are going to do something for someone... DO IT.

4 stabbings and one hit and run yesterday.... Only myself (RN) and my wonderful LPN. Challenging? Heck ya! I am a firm believer in rural nursing being a specialty - how is it not? I did a touch of ICU/ ER out of college for almost 2 years..... BUT when I took this job I knew from my first day by myself, in charge (as most rural RNs have to be) with no charge experience that this would be probably the luckiest job I will ever land. Let me tell you - I learnt NOTHING in my past ICU/ major trauma centre ER experience - compared to what I know now ! The OP is completely correct - try doing a cardiac who's in SVT completely by yourself - IVs, O2, Cardiac Monitor, 12 lead, getting the adenosine ready while your LPN is busy trying to answer the floors callbells/ print out outpatient forms/ answer phones. Doctor? What Doctor - he doesn't want to come in! Or a 5 person MVA with one DOA (who the cops locked in trauma so the family wouldn't get to the body) and there's only 2 of you to answer the million phone calls, do all the trauma assess, get them all ready to fly out, help in Xray, paperwork, IVs, dressings, meds, crowd control the family who's taken over the hospital... (ok, I did call in another set of hands for that one!) I live in a small rural town in Alberta, Canada and am having the best nursing experience I could ever have asked for. My only regret? Not doing this right out of school. The 10 bed Inpatients are always so busy, then ER and clinic always make for interesting shifts. Do I always like my job? Nope. The biggest downside of a rural hospital is that because you are so understaffed, your work is your life. I am a newlywed and barely ever do I get to spend a day or night in bed with my hubby (he does shift work also as a cop) To all the Newgrads wanting to do rural - DO IT. Pick a busy centre with lots of trauma (Northern AB..haha) and I promise you will not regret it! You will be able to walk into ANY unit in ANY hospital and have your nursing skills under your belt. Oh yeah one more thing - you will get the courses behind you too - ACLS, TNCC, NRP, PALS... because it is reassuring to know that the knowledge is there to retrieve in those moments of "Duh... what do I do now???"

Wow, a thread I might be able to be at use for.. Hello fellow Canuck! I am a TOTAL advocate for rural nursing! Let me tell you - I did some nursing in the USA (ICU) and med/surg in a large city before that... rural nursing back in Canada has BY FAR opened my eyes up to being able to handle EVERYTHING. Oh, by the way, I work on a Reserve, so that brings in the same type of population you would like to work with. Lots of overdoses, suicides, assaults, rapes, stabbings - maternity (even though we "don't" deliver... caught one so far). I thought I was top of the food chain in the ICU - not so! I have been challenged in ways you would never imagine... you do things you would never imagine. You really have to get creative and resourcful! Did I mention there is only 1 RN and 1 LPN? So you BETTER get that IV in cos honey, your it. You have to be able to handle inpatients, ER (busy busy) and any other walk-in that happens to saunter in.... I thought hard about giving up nursing this year (I have only been an RN for a short time) because I hated nursing. I LOVE my job right now as a rural nurse. I can't wait to go to work everyday/ night. It truly is exciting. My "ah ha moment" was when I was attempting to stabilise a stabbinng victim at 3am with one hand, while the other hand was holding the phone to my ear trying to deal with the family on the other end/ arranging a Medivac. My LPN was with all the other freak who decided to pull out his 2 IVs with his teeth and try to attack the EMS in the hallway and sprayed blood over everyone. Psych - LOTS of it. That's what lockdown rooms are for :0) Send me a prviate message if you like... I have a great idea for where you could go for your final practicum! Chou Camel

Hey everybody! It's been 8 months since I wrote that first post...... guess what - I am in a very remote/ rural hospital and LOVE it. I should have done this 2 years ago as a new grad. The experience is phenomenal and I would now recommend it to any new grad coming out of school. There's so much ER stuff - stabbings/ ODs/ rapes/ MVAs (I'm on an Indian Reserve) and inpts/outpts all at the same time. It's great because there's only myself (an RN) and another LPN. You have to do everything. I can honestly say for myself, I will never get bored.... To answer my own question: Yes, I will be VERY VERY marketable after a couple of years here. I even hope to make northern nuring a career path. :beer:

You can probably even write your Arizona license while still in PA... I wrote for my Minnesota license while I was in Montanna. I don't think you physically have to be in that state to get licensure there. For example, I think it is possible to write your exam in Nebraska even though you want an Alaskan license.

aerospace med???? What the heck...... got that as a top choice. How cool would that be though?????!