DODGING MUD PUDDLES AND PASSING PROBATION

I quickly finished up the day’s charting and cleaned off my desk before racing out the door last Monday afternoon, not wanting to be late for my six month evaluation meeting with the Deputy Director of Community Health.  The lagoon had a watery look to it and I’d found that riding in soft snow on it was nearly impossible, so I took the road between Barrow and Browerville instead on this sunny day.  It was so sunny, in fact, that quite a bit of snow and ice had melted along the road as well, forming good-sized mud puddles.  I didn’t anticipate needing fenders this early in the spring, but wished that I had already purchased them as I unavoidably bounced through more than several puddles before reaching the Health Department building.  I feel fortunate that in Barrow one can arrive at a meeting or event wearing Arctic gear, rain pants, rubber boots and a new streak of mud up one’s back and not feel out of place or conspicuous at all. 

The meeting went well and I was grateful as Julie and I went over each area of my evaluation, determining that after being observed by the nurse practitioner the week before, that I’d met each requirement.  We talked about the multitude of trainings I’d been sent to as well as the trips to villages to be trained or to participate in health fairs.  I was thinking about this recently and realized that in my first six months here, I’ve been able to fly to Atqasuk, Nuiqsut, Point Lay, Wainwright, Kaktovik, Anchorage and Juneau twice.  I’ve had many wonderful learning opportunities as well as adventures.  I’ve completed my probationary period and am now a permanent employee of the North Slope Borough.  Yay! 

We talked about this being a perfect place for me to further my education.  I’m fortunate in that this is one of the only communities in the nation where one can work as a public health nurse with a two year ADN degree.   There are many distance education programs that allow one to earn their BSN degree and Julie suggested that I also look into applying for an RN to MSN program.   I’ll enroll in the State of Alaska’s Public Health Nurse Academy in the fall to begin with and start researching the other programs. 

There are so many benefits to living and working here.  If there are any nurses out there with public health and management experience, the Coordinator position is open and posted on the North Slope Borough website.  The new year’s budget was increased enough to be able to fund another public health nurse position that will be posted sometime in early July, I believe.  I really can’t think of a more welcoming or more interesting community as well as rewarding work for anyone interested in exploring either position.  Please post a comment and I’d be happy to share more.