correctional nurse wanting island life

http://www.vidol.gov/ VI Dept of Labor.

an old post about Golden Grove Prison on STX

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,71978

Juan Luis Hospital STX

http://www.career.vi/employer/Juan_F_Luis_Hospital_72.html

University of the Virgin Islands nursing program
http://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Pages/Nursing-Home.aspx?s=AC

Nurses are needed on STX. Construction Jobs are scarce but good tradesmen are always in demand. Wages are lower and the cost of living is high but it is a beautiful place. Good luck. Try searching the forum there has been numerous posts about nurses in the VI.

They also employ nurses in the jail system, not sure if you need an RN, but suspect not. The VI Daily News is advertising that they are going to print the salaries of all government workers tomorrow, which will give you a good idea about if you could afford life here with three children. Have you visited the VI? Neighborhoods are not as homogeneous as they are in the states. One can pick out what they feel is a very nice neighborhood and suddenly someone builds a monstrosity with derelict boats and water trucks in the yard. Or you can have feral cats and chickens disturbing your tranquil life. Pit bulls staked out in the yard? Half-finished houses? All part of the scenery.;) When you say your DH is from Mexico; is he a US citizen or does he have a Green Card?

WOW I wasn't expecting responses so quick - THANKS! I've checked out UVI and my credits will transfer so that looks good. Then the jobs in nursing ...now, I work at a lot of correctional facilities but the one I LOVE is a small co jail 250 inmates and very laid back so I want to look at co jails in the VI. We've moved to Mexico before so I have an abstract idea, maybe?(about buildings half done and dogs and chickens and do as u will attitude) But for past visits, no I haven't visited VI but the Bahamas yes. My DH is on visa status still but we are going to the consulate in a while. I'm going to trans my licence and look for a job this spring to hopefully make the move during the summer. Again thanks for any responses

Oh, nurses and teachers get my immediate attention. Bartenders, not so much!;)

The legal status deal needs to be clear before you get here, quite honestly.

If your husband has only a travel visa, I would also suggest applying for and getting his green card before coming here.

How long have you been married? My son and his wife moved to St. Croix 2 years ago expressly for the purpose of getting her green card. They'd been married for 5 years and had been living in Mexico. The entire process took almost 8 months and total cost was more than $5,000. And this was with us doing all the paperwork ourselves - I've had some experience with research, filling out forms, etc. If you need a lawyer, the cost could double. They've since moved on and now live in the states.

Any irregularties in his status, for example, if he has overstayed his visa, or if you've only been married for a short time, will lengthen the time required for a green card.

This process would be more easily accomplished where you are now, assuming you have a support system of family and friends.

I work at a lot of correctional facilities but the one I LOVE is a small co jail 250 inmates and very laid back so I want to look at co jails in the VI.

USVI does not have counties or county jails. The police, and possibly other gov't entities, refer to two districts: STX and STT/STJ. Sometimes you'll see STX, STT and STJ listed as county names, but it's just for convenience. They're not really counties. The Bureau Of Corrections has one prison for the territory that I know of: Golden Grove Correctional Facility on STX, with about 450 inmates, but I don't know if that's just the men, or both men and women. Does anybody know if there's a prison on STT or STJ?

For more info about the Bureau Of Corrections: http://www.doj.vi.gov/DivisionContent_4.php?divId=132

as for schools, you would probably want to concider private schools, which can be costly (about 7-12,000 per child depending on the grade they are in) especially since you have 3 children. cost of food is very high here too. here are some rough estimates, milk $6 for 1/2 gallon, bread $4 a loaf, oj $7 for 64oz's eggs maybe $2-3 a dozen, toiletries can be easily bought at drugstore.com for the same prices as in the states. the cat litter i use is twice what i could get it for in the states. the only thing cheaper here is liquor and cigarettes. gas is about the same on stx but about a dollar more on stt maybe 2 more on stj. for clothing, you have kmart or online-no gap or ae or jc penney etc. there are places that sell the high priced name brand clothing designers like baby phat. most of the other clothing stores sell cheap things that dont last.

as for schools, you would probably want to concider private schools, which can be costly (about 7-12,000 per child depending on the grade they are in) especially since you have 3 children. cost of food is very high here too. here are some rough estimates, milk $6 for 1/2 gallon, bread $4 a loaf, oj $7 for 64oz's eggs maybe $2-3 a dozen, toiletries can be easily bought at drugstore.com for the same prices as in the states. the cat litter i use is twice what i could get it for in the states. the only thing cheaper here is liquor and cigarettes. gas is about the same on stx but about a dollar more on stt maybe 2 more on stj. for clothing, you have kmart or online-no gap or ae or jc penney etc. there are places that sell the high priced name brand clothing designers like baby phat. most of the other clothing stores sell cheap things that dont last.

Where do YOU shop spee1dy? You need to stop shopping at those high end places like Gourmet Gallery LOL. At Plaza, a whole gallon of milk can still be bought for $7 and a 64 oz of OJ is around $5 or 6 but you can find 128 oz for $9. Yes, still expensive but not Gourmet Gallery-expensive!

whats a gourmet gallery, i will say i am picky about my milk and only but ultra pasturized, it has the best flavor. we shop mostly at cost u less and pueblo golden rock but i usually buy my milk at schooner bay

Gourmet Gallery has 2 stores in St Thomas - Havensite and Crown Bay - I do not think they have any STX facilities.
It has some very unique items and excellent produce and wine departments - many more common, brand name products can be found for less at other stores.

STXBob: No prison, but on St Thomas, there is the main jail and an annex. I don't think St John has any correctional facilities- they export their hooligans to us!:-o

I'm back YEAH8-) DH and I have been married 7 years already and we have traveled some. Our situation is unique; we started the immig. process in 04 but had to stop b/c my textile job closed and so I "got" to return to school . If the citizan spouse don't make enough money u really can't go too far ...so allllllll the savings went into my school fund ....now I'm a NURSE! Now I work 7 days a week and DH is now HH (house hubby). He gardens; yes we are real country folk, and does odd jobs for my family if he has time. Being a full time Dad is busy ,busy, busy. He came here as a student and was studing electrical until he over stayed his visa, the went as an apprentace. We should hear something back on his soc # by Spring. We may go back to his parents sugar cane plantation for the summer before heading off to island life. Now heres the hard part we have 3 kids and they have to be well ajusted and continuing in school. ~~~OH 3 little birds ~~~outside my doorstep ~~~~singn a sweet song

If your husband is presently undocumented, living on any of the USVI will be difficult. Everytime you leave island, you pass through immigration. His status will immediately become an issue.

This morning's Daily News lists one correctional LPN at $35,700 on St Thomas, $32,000 on St Croix. There are several at $8000 or so, probably part-time. Interestingly, there is a CNA listed at $32,074. Union jobs, seniority is everything.

You do not want to work for this prison it is definitely scary and large. Inmates escape on a regular basis. Get pick up by a travel nurse group, that way you get per diem as well and the pay will be much better. If you husband is in the US on a over stay visa, IF he makes it here he will not be able to leave without being deported. You have to go through Customs and Immigration to leave the islands. I would really think about this before you come. It doesn't sound like it is worth the risk.

He is documented sorta, we've started the process again from the middle. He can travel or we wouldn't be able to dismount of the plain or boat. Hopefully by Spring he will have all the legal stuff pushed thru and returned. Thats why we have to wait I've just started planning and checking things out to really think about seriously making a move. If i continue w/ school here for ASN (RN) it'll be 2.5 yrs Who knows - I paddle my boat in the direction I want it to go but let the waves take me where they may always. I will end up where I'm sposta be in sweet time.

No offense, but he either has documents or he doesn't. You should clarify his status before moving here.

At one point in the process for obtaining a green card one has to return all visa documents. My daughter-in-law received a temp letter stating she was in the USA legally. She kept that card until she received her green card. We traveled back to the states once during that time. She had, not only the letter, but copies of ALL the paperwork we had already sent to the feds. The customs employee at the STX airport was very nice, but it still took almost an extra hour to get her through. I think the fact that she was traveling with her older, Anglo mother-in-law speeded up the process.

You do not want to work for this prison it is definitely scary and large. Inmates escape on a regular basis. Get pick up by a travel nurse group, that way you get per diem as well and the pay will be much better.

I do hope people don't listen to your advice, Hiya! 😉 If good workers don't get involved, there really will never be any change. BTW, the jails are part of corrections. Traveling nurses get hired by the hospitals, not corrections, And they are usually not involved in the life of these islands.

East Ender I understand traveling nurses are not part of the correction system. You misunderstood me. I said she would be better off with a traveling nurse group and not working in corrections. I know you live on STT, have you ever seen the jail here? Just the building alone is in horrible shape, it is completely over crowded. Just from a humanity point of view, I don't know how they get away with it. Inmates have cell phones, drugs, microwaves, they even found things like full sets of steak knives.

I completely agree with you that things need to change there. But a nurse is not the person to do it. Its so bad the feds removed all their prisoners last year and at most keep them there overnight or over the weekend. So I absolutely hope things get better there but I don't think a newly graduated nurse from stateside would be able to do anything to make it better and might be in serious danger. I completely believe they are some good people working there, but the task has got to be overwhelming and places like jails are the last to get funding.

I understand that Golden Grove prison is not a nice place. But there is also the jail system. And I don't think that the OP is a new graduate. She has worked in "a lot of correctional facilities" and enjoys it. What I meant by my post is: corrections may not be a career path everyone would chose, but I am happy for those who do chose it. (Thanks, hecate!)

"But there is also the jail system" Actually on stx there's just Golden Grove. The police and feds all have temporary holding cells but for overnight stays you go to Golden Grove. I understand what you are saying and I think you understand what I'm saying. I don't think it would be a good place for anyone let alone a new lady to the island. But that is her choice and as you say god bless those that do but I would hit a family member over the head with a frying pan first to keep them out of there. I think her bigger problem at the moment is her husband immigration status. But I wish the best of luck and hope they can make their dream move. Just trying to give them practical advice to make their transition easier.

I'm back and would like to say my DH is documented w/ paperwork ie. Travel Visa but not authorized to work. That's what I mean by "sorta" and yes, they do have shades of grey in the process for special needs. And for travel nursing I have thought of it but doctor offices or hobnobbing at the hospital is not my cup of tea. I'd need to see what its really like before I'd even consider a position at the hospital or clinic. I am a correctional nurse I could never thinking of doing anything else, not because I'm corrupt like what is commonly thought about us, but because I enjoy holding the lamp of FLO (Nightingale). I took an oath to administer to the people in need and that I do and do WELL. Corrections holds both mental health and physical ailments. Both are great experience builders in life and on the resume.*-)

hecate: Do what you love and love what you do! Hope you get everything straightened out .:D

Thx everyone for all the advise and comments. I'm going to come down in Dec.w/ a family member as a girls-week-away- from the world. I'm a workaholic 3 jobs isn't enough. Yep, 3 and still looking and all in jails HEHE! HAHA ! Nurse Behind The Wall that's me, maybe a big horrid prison is just what I need!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a palm tree to relax under.