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Nursing staff are assigned to one of three areas: emergency room, outpatient department
or inpatient department. This is usually the permanent duty station, although there is much
cross training and opportunities to work in areas of interest. We currently use several
contract nurses in addition to regular staff to fill nursing vacancies in our department and
to continue to deliver quality care to our patients.
Our inpatient nursing unit is an eight bed adult unit for patients of low acuity.
Patients needing cardiac monitoring or a higher level of care are sent to hospitals in Phoenix
or Tucson. Our outpatient nursing department receives 25,000 patient visits per year.
Outpatient nurses are trained in many areas of care including prenatal, diabetic, wound care,
immunizations, pediatrics and orthopedics. Our emergency room nurses also have 25,000
patient visits per year. A large percentage of these visits are non emergent, since the
emergency room serves the community when the clinic is closed, or when all appointment slots
are filled. The emergency room sees the full spectrum of traumas that are associated with a
rural community. Our emergency room nurses maintain certification in ACLS and PALS, and
some are additionally trained in ATLS and ALSO.
There is usually housing available on the government compound for nurses wanting to
live next to the hospital. Housing is also available in the town of Globe, 28 miles away.
Funding for nursing education is usually available, as nurses are expected to maintain
their skills and are encouraged to obtain training in areas of interest. The population we
serve are the 13,000 members of the San Carlos Apache Nation. Although most San Carlos Apaches
are fluent in English, nurses are encouraged to become familiar with some basic Apache terms
and learn as much as possible about Apache history and culture. New nurses are mentored for
at least 2 weeks by experienced nurses and are orientated to all areas of their duty station.
The San Carlos nursing staff is a friendly group of dedicated professionals committed to our
Service Unit mission statement: In partnership with the San Carlos Apache Nation, to raise
their health to the highest level.
If you are interested in joining our nursing staff, please contact our Assistant
Director of Nurses, Valerie Souza, at (928) 475- 7203.
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