Episode 5: Working in Wilderness Medicine in Rural Alaska as a Nurse Practitioner

Welcome back to The Nomadic Clinician! I’m your host, David Warren — CRNA, Emergency Nurse Practitioner, and passionate advocate for non-traditional career paths in healthcare. In this episode, I’m sharing what it’s really like to work as a nurse practitioner in one of the most remote and rugged environments in the U.S.: rural Alaska.

From medevacs and satellite clinics to limited resources and incredible autonomy, I’ll walk you through the realities of practicing wilderness medicine — where your skills are tested, and your resourcefulness matters most. You'll hear what it takes to thrive in this kind of role, how it shaped my clinical decision-making, and why this kind of work leaves a lasting impact.

If you’ve ever dreamed of getting out of the hospital grind, craving adventure, or wondering if remote medicine might be for you — this episode is a must-listen.

Subscribe and join me on the journey toward redefining what’s possible in advanced practice nursing.

Keywords: Nurse practitioner, emergency medicine, wilderness medicine, remote medicine, austere environments, locum tenens Follow me on: Instagram: davidwarrennp YouTube: davidwarrennp TikTok: davidwarrennp Send me an email: davidwarrenrnbsn@gmail.com