Re: IHS information or experience?

[PACIFICWHALES]

Hey I am 31 year old female in Ohio looking at IHS with hope that they would pay off some of my loans from Ohio State U and my nursing school. What are you doing now? Did you sign on with IHS? I called them and send them my resume with no answer. the loan repayment person said that you can apply before you get a job. They are hiring. The trick is to be aggressive and pick the state. Again some states pay range vary. What about this Alaska deal? I can not do anything until I pass Nclex. I am taking it the for the first time towards the end of July.:redbeathe

[suzanne4, RN]

Always best to take and pass the NCLEX exam, they will not even consider you without that.

You will also be better off picking something where there are more people around since you will be a new grad and experience is not something that you have. IHS has many facilities in New Mexico as well as the Dakotas and Arizona. If asking for an opinion, as a new grad, being someplace so remote is not really a good thing, unless you have significant previous experience such as being a paramedic, etc. There are decisions that will have to be made in a very short time and you do not have the experience as a new grad for it, can put your license in limbo.

[TopazLover, BSN, RN]

I agree to a certain extent.

Alaska is more than bush. If you go to Anchorage there is an IHS hospital there. Anchorage is a real city with many things happening. You would get a good experience @ ANMC. Explore the option after you have testing out of the way.

There is an IHS hospital in Sitka that is small but busy. Don't make any quick decisions. Alaska is unique in many ways. There are tons of "transplants" from the lower 48 but that does not mean every person is suited to our climate or the issues we have here. The amount of alcoholism here is HUGE. This especially affects the native population. You will get many explanations of causation and effect of modern living on a traditional lifestyle.

Whatever your decision, congrats on completing school and looking for best things for you and your family.