Nurses

This is a difficult place to live and most people who move here, regardless of their job, don't stay long. Nurses have an advantage in that they are in high demand just about everywhere, so it is even easier for them to decide they have had enough of the VI and return to the states.

I also hear that most nurses make more money than they would on the mainland. Plus their housing is paid.

Glynnswife,
That is only for traveling nurses though right?

The regular staff slack a lot everyone is out for themselves; although once you prove yourself and help them you can make a "couple" friends, not many. There is no team effort people will not help you if you fall behind even if you help them, so be good, not one year of experience. The "team" is not a focal part. You won't be able to get your meds in time - sometimes needing to call the pharmacy many times because they are over loaded because the pharmacy is closed at nights. Also you won't be able to get things like central lines unless you search around e.g. other floors until you find one! CNA will literally tell you "no" they won't do it; one just got fired for it finally. The standards are low, no in house doctors means some people don't have a doctor to take responsibility if they don't have a local primary doctor here e.g. pain management, DNR (do not resesitate plans) etc. It's good training for international red cross, etc jobs, and volunteer work internationally that will be more difficult. Oh and most managers don't care how bad the full time staff is because they need them bad, otherwise they have to pay $40+ per person instead of $28 for full time. Oh and don't count on others getting meds etc finished on your clients on your days off e.g. missing meds for 3 days because they didn't do it, so double check.

Night shifts are easy enough for newbies/greens and the travel nurses that usually work at night do usually have a team mentality.

The paid housing is only a perk for traveling nurses.

The travelling nurses I know say they make a lot *less* money than they would in many places on the mainland. Working in a hospital here comes with a number of challenges and not enough resources.

I don't know where someguy is working, but he is not describing Schneider Regional on St Thomas.

Mike: The hospital system is owned and operated by the territorial government, although they have "semi-autonomy" from some of the government bureaucracy. Because there is a two-tiered pay system- travelers and staff/NOPAed nurses- there are some problems between the two groups. Local employees see the travelers as here for only a moment in time and so tend to keep them at an arm's length. Travelers are able to do only a certain number of tours, then are asked to sign on as staff.

IMHO, the low salaries for NOPAed nurses is a union problem.