Discover the joy of a career in Hood River
Nestled on the Columbia River Gorge, north of Mt. Hood, lies Hood River, recognized by Sunset Magazine as a top destination for “Best Adventures and Explorations” and nicknamed the windsurfing capital of the U.S. We spoke recently with several longtime employees of Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital about what’s great about working and living in Hood River.
An outdoor paradise east of Portland
Just an hour east of Portland, Hood River caters to a spectrum of interests, from a thriving food scene and wineries to hiking, biking, and skiing, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital provides a wide range of services to the community of about 9,000 residents and the many visitors to this popular tourist destination.
One of the hospital’s longtime caregivers, Registered Nurse Carrie, has lived and worked in Hood River for 30 years, a testament to her dedication to the community. “It’s pretty cool to get up every day and take care of my friends, neighbors and sometimes family. Nice people, good hardworking folks that play hard and work hard,” she shares. The small-town vibe is part of what she loves about living here. “The size of the town is ideal for accessibility. I ride my bike to work when it’s sunny,” she adds, highlighting the ease of life in Hood River.
MRI Technologist Tanya echoes that sentiment, saying that she finds Hood River to be incredibly family friendly, offering excellent schools. “I can’t say enough about this place. It has given me a lot of opportunities.”
Hood River is a gateway to fun for individuals and families
Whether you’re up for an adventure or down for a drink, you can find fun in Hood River, making it a perfect place to unwind after a day at work. Tayna says, “Some coworkers love the outdoors—biking, skiing, or kiting—so many sports are at your fingertips. My husband can be kiting, and my son and I can play in the water, standup paddling or kayaking or just throwing rocks in the water, and that’s what I love.” Carrie adds, “The active community is one of Hood River’s biggest draws. You’ll see a bumper sticker that says, ‘The Gorge is my gym.’ If the weather permits, you can do lots of sports in one day.”
Sports not your thing? Tayna emphasizes that there’s truly something for everyone in Hood River. “A lot of my coworkers aren’t high-end adrenaline junkies. They enjoy going to the vineyards or to book club or going on hikes.”
Carrie praises the thriving arts and live music scene in Hood River and says, for her, it’s the best place on earth. “You’ve got the mountain and river, desert and sunshine to the east, Portland to the West, and you can hit the coast. Everything’s within reach,” she explains.
Housekeeping Manager Leticia sums it up best, saying that Hood River is good for the soul. “It gives you physical health and also mental health.”
Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital strikes the perfect balance between community feel and large system resources
As part of the Providence family of organizations, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital benefits from being a part of a larger health system while maintaining the intimacy of a small community hospital. “I’ve worked at different hospitals—one with 400 beds and one with only five beds. At the small hospital, if we needed new equipment, we couldn’t get it. At the big hospital, you were just a number. Here, you’re not a number,” Tanya explains. “This is a perfect setting for me because it’s not a hospital that doesn’t have the funding or opportunities to advance in technology. Being in the Providence umbrella, we get the funding that we need. It allows us to keep on advancing in our technology. At the same time, we’re not such a big hospital that I don’t know who I’m calling when I have a question about an order.”
Carrie, who cares for patients with cancer, appreciates the personal connections she has with her patients. “Working in a small community hospital might not have provided me with the breadth of experience, but the tradeoff is I feel like I’m part of the community. And a lot of times being a face that they recognize is worth it for me,” she says. The resources of a larger system also support her work. “Since we became part of the Providence network, I have the resources and the support, and the opportunity for growth. It has been a really good balance.”
She continues, “If I have needed something over the three decades that I’ve been here, they’ve given it. We wanted to step up and do 3CG technology for our PICC lines that required new equipment, and they got it for us. We needed to get that training and management was diligent about getting us training in Portland. We’ve moved our department several times and they have risen to the occasion to provide us with the space that we need.”
For Carrie, the blend of a supportive workplace and a beautiful town makes Hood River the ideal place to work and live. “Being able to be a nurse here in this beautiful little town that I adore is pretty cool. It’s nice to feel good about where I work and the team that I work with. And knowing that when my family or friends are coming here, that they’re going to get really good care.”
Ready to experience a supportive workplace in a family-friendly setting? Explore open roles at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.