When Vanessa’s husband lost his job at the beginning of the pandemic, the pair made a bold move. They relocated to Kodiak, Alaska, where he began flying medevac missions while Vanessa finished nursing school.

“As you can imagine, my last year of nursing school in 2020 was less than ideal,” shares Vanessa. That’s one of the reasons the immediate welcome she felt at Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center was so meaningful to her. Read on to learn why Vanessa describes both her job and community as “magical.”

If you’re already curious about nursing roles on Alaska’s “Emerald Isle,” browse our openings.

The warmest of welcomes during the coldest of times

Starting your nursing career as a new graduate is daunting enough in normal circumstances. Doing it in a new town, in the middle of a global pandemic, adds another layer of complexity. Yet Vanessa fondly remembers her arrival. “Even though it was in the middle of COVID, it was still very welcoming. I just got to jump right in here and felt very supported on my new journey as a nurse.”

To Vanessa, her experience felt highly tailored to her learning style. She says that mentorship wasn’t about hitting rigid timelines or rushing through a checklist. Instead, leadership asked, “How can we help? What do you need to learn?” This personalized approach allowed her to build confidence at her own pace, surrounded by a team that genuinely wanted her to succeed.

Professional growth without limits

Some might think that rural hospitals don’t provide opportunities for career advancement, but for Vanessa, the opposite has been true.

Providence Kodiak offered her opportunities she might have waited years for at a larger facility. She was initially hired onto the acute care floor, but she expressed interest in labor and delivery early on and within a couple of months of finishing her orientation, was able to begin cross-training.

“I feel like working at this hospital gave me the most opportunities to grow in my dream job,” she shares. “I really appreciate the opportunity to train in labor and delivery. I felt very supported to pursue that.”

Today, she works mostly in labor and delivery, helping welcome Kodiak’s newest residents into the world. This flexibility is a hallmark of the Providence Kodiak experience. If you express an interest in a specialty, leadership works to help make it achievable.

The “critical access” advantage

Providence Kodiak is a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) serving the island with 24/7 emergency care. While resources can look different from those in a massive urban medical center, Vanessa says the environment fosters a unique spirit of teamwork and collaboration.

“I love the spirit of the team,” Vanessa shares. “It’s like, ‘All right, what do you have and how are we gonna get this done? How are we going to figure this out?’”

Vanessa says another advantage of a small hospital is having more time with the patients. “In labor and delivery, usually I only have one or two patients. That means more one-on-one time. I’ve heard families say that they appreciate that attention. Sometimes there are even two nurses for one laboring mama, and we can just take our time and get to know them and collaborate to provide the best care possible.”

This collaborative atmosphere creates bonds that go beyond typical coworker relationships. Vanessa describes the staff as a “core group” that feels like family. They also welcome traveling nurses, ensuring they feel at home even when they’re thousands of miles from their own families. Vanessa says, “When people first get here, I love to take them for a kayak ride and just see Kodiak through their eyes, because it’s such a magical place.” And, she says, sometimes after travelers finish their assignments, they opt to stay for good.

Life on an island she calls the “Disneyland of Alaska”

Work-life balance takes on a new meaning when your commute is a 90-second drive (or a short bike ride), and your backyard is a gateway to adventure. That’s why Vanessa describes Kodiak as the “Disneyland of Alaska” for outdoor enthusiasts.

“We live on the water, so we have our kayaks right there, and we can just take them out of our backyard,” she says. Her family spends their free time hiking, camping, and exploring the endless beauty of the island.

For families, the island offers a safe, close-knit environment where kids can be “wild and free.” Whether it’s joining the swim team, participating in arts council classes, or learning bear safety at the beach, Kodiak provides a childhood experience that is hard to replicate elsewhere.

Though Kodiak is rural, Vanessa is quick to point out that it’s not isolated. “My husband and I relocated from Washington and lived in even more remote places of Alaska for four years before we moved to Kodiak. Comparatively, Kodiak has some nice amenities. For example, there’s a Walmart,” she says with a laugh. She notes that there are coffee shops and restaurants, as well. “Everything’s very close in town, it’s great. That’s part of the reason why I don’t think I’ll ever move from Kodiak.”

Read tips for relocating to Alaska from a warmer climate.

A close-knit community where “you go deep fast”

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of life in Kodiak is the community itself. In rural Alaska, people rely on one another and that quickly builds strong relationships.

“You go deep fast with people,” Vanessa observes. “You have people that you rely on, neighbors helping neighbors.”

This connection spills over into her work. Vanessa runs into patients at the grocery store or sees the babies she helped deliver growing up around town. Healthcare here feels deeply personal.

Consider working with us in Kodiak

If you’re looking for a nursing role where you can grow professionally while living in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Providence Kodiak is worth a look.

Vanessa says, “Please, come work in Kodiak,” reiterating that it’s a great place to pursue a specialty fast. “I didn’t think I’d be able to work in labor and delivery right out of nursing school, but I did. My husband and I are so happy in our jobs, and we just love living here. We’ve decided Kodiak’s long-term for us.”

It could be long-term for you, too.

View all roles in Kodiak.

Read more about Providence in Alaska.

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