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Old May 29th, 2011, 01:20 AM
reanne reanne is offline
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Anyone a nurse/know a nurse that has worked in the north?

I finish my BSN next March and write my licensing exam in June. I am considering going to the north for a couple of years, and I'm dying to talk to/email with a few people who have done this.
I think it would be an amazing opportunity for my career, and there is also some good student loan forgiveness and pay incentives. However, I'm not entirely sure what it would be like, and I'm not sure if I could do the lifestyle. I don't care about a night life, but I do a lot of outdoorsy things so I think that it would probably work for my lifestyle, aside from in the winter when it was too extremely cold.
I would really appreciate the opportunity to learn a little more about it! Thanks!
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  #2  
Old May 29th, 2011, 02:28 AM
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Tundra_Queen Tundra_Queen is offline
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what are u considering North? North of what vancouver island? Northern Ontario? wehre exactly? I live in Northern Ontario
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Old May 29th, 2011, 06:10 AM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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do you mean Moosenee? or Moose factory???
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Old May 29th, 2011, 08:42 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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And here is the reason folks are asking what you mean by north. My OH's boss interviewed a fellow for a summer job that would involve travel to parts of N. Ontario where the only access was by plane or canoe. Actually they would fly in and then would be dropped on a lake with a canoe, then be totally alone (two people) for a week or so till the plane came back for them.

The fellow expressed concern that he would not really like to go further north than Steeles Ave. Which as many here know is the northern limit for the city of Toronto. And, the site of the interview was already further north than that. Every time we get together with old work mates this story is told.

I can see cold being less of a concern than isolation from your friends and family. You can buy a warm coat and boots. Something I've read is a serious concern in the far north is not so much the short days in winter but the long days in summer. I've read articles about how exhausted people get from lack of sleep and how hard it is to sleep in what seems like constant daylight.

I don't care where it is I'd go in a heartbeat. When the OH was working in Timmins (not nearly as far north as some of his work) he did not like it at all and was glad to get back south to his family, though he made friends he is still in touch with there. For a young, single man who didn't drink though, Timmins was not a happy place for him. A lot of young male social life revolved around drinking and he didn't fit in.
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Old May 29th, 2011, 12:21 PM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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my bro worked in Moosenee and Moose factory while getting his final papers, he's an air trauma emergency rescue parametic, he then transferred to timmins, and has been there now for 22 yrs.............he loves the cold *L* always was the odd one in the family
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Old May 29th, 2011, 01:15 PM
binkybuff binkybuff is offline
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Had a friend that worked in Tuktoyatuk, NWT.

I believe she applied through the government. Look into their departments to see.

She had to stay for a certain length of time. Can't remember how long now.

take care
binky
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Old May 29th, 2011, 01:58 PM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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exactly and the govt pays for any courses you want to take.
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Old May 29th, 2011, 02:06 PM
pattymac pattymac is offline
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I know this was a long time ago but my Mom and Dad lived in Whitehorse..they went for 7 months and stayed 7 years!! I guess it kind of grabs you once you get there! My Mom loved the summers, great for gardening and flowers. She wasn't overly keen on the winters but my Dad worked for the army so they were always going to parties and dinners. I would love to try it out myself some time before I croak! I guess it's like anywhere else, either you decide to make it work for you or you'll be miserable. Stuff of course is more expensive, it was expensive back in the 40's so I would guess it's pretty much the same now. I was only there once when I was around 4 or 5 and I still remember it. For me just seeing the northern lights the way they are up there would make the winter's worth it I get excited seeing them around here..and they aren't nearly as impressive down here.
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Old May 29th, 2011, 02:09 PM
pattymac pattymac is offline
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Oh ya, my Mom was a nurse up there. Now things have changed but she did a lot of Public Health Nursing, flying around with the army and stuff. She's got some great stories!! She met alot of Native/Aboriginals..whatever the politically correct term is nowadays!! She really enjoyed that part of living there.
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Old May 29th, 2011, 02:13 PM
reanne reanne is offline
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Good question, I should have qualified what I meant by "north"...in this instance I mean the Yukon, NWT, or Nunavut!

I am not concerned about the continuous daylight as I work shift work now so I already have to sleep during daylight and such. I'm interested to hear other people's experiences. I am a little worried about continuous darkness, or darkness and some twilight.

My main concern is that I spend a lot of time on my days off out doing things (mountain biking, surfing, kayaking, hiking, camping) and I'm wondering if any other outdoorsy people have worked in the north and what they found it to be like. Obviously I wouldn't be doing any surfing (sad).

I certainly would have to get warm clothes for the dogs...especially Nahla. I'd have to find someone to make her a snowsuit or something LOL.

I definitely wouldn't want to stay permanently; I love the coast and love taking off whenever I want to go surfing and stuff, and I really enjoy the lack of seasons here. But I think for a couple of years it would be an amazing experience, and career wise would be awesome. I'm just not sure yet if I want to give up my coastal life for a couple of years lol.
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Old May 29th, 2011, 02:48 PM
pattymac pattymac is offline
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One thing I remember my parents telling me is in the summer's the mosquitoes and blackflies are insane. Maybe now they do some spraying in the cities.
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  #12  
Old May 29th, 2011, 06:34 PM
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OK a bit of a longshot... one of the partners in this company http://www.cabinfeveradventures.com/aboutus.html worked as a nurse in a northern (fly in northern) community when she graduated nursing. She is an amazing person (as is her husband) - like I said, a long shot, but you could try sending her an e-mail (Brook Davis is her name).
Sounds like a really amazing opportunity!!
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  #13  
Old May 29th, 2011, 09:17 PM
reanne reanne is offline
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Thanks!
Yes, I've been spoiled on the coast for the last 11 years and I've been thinking about the bugs there would be in the summer. I was born in the Georgian Bay area so I grew up in blackfly and mosquito country...but it's been a while haha.
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Old May 30th, 2011, 05:53 AM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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my son was in nunavut last fall filming a documentary on health services for the native americans etc. He loved it there and is anxious to go back.
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