Nursing jobs in USVI

Your best bet is to read past posts on this board and the Virgin Islands Settler's Handbook, which is available for purchase on this site. Also, if you go here: https://www.vimovingcenter.com/ you'll find information on cost of living, schools, housing, and under "What To Expect" you will find 44 moving stories written by people who did what you're thinking of doing.

I am a ER nurse in MI and just stated a travling job with my frist assignment in St. Thomas at the hospital there in ER. Travling nursing appears to be the way to go. My nursing agency pays for my transportaion, my housing and a good rate of pay. 75% of the hospital staffing are travelers. My recruiters name is Pat Lesh at Cross Country Travcorps 800-998-5136, call for info and please tell her Lori Clark referred you. Best of luck, I can't wait to start working in tropical paradide.

"75% of the hospital staffing are travelers"

I am wondering where you heard this number?

Talking with a ER nurse I meet when I was there in Feb. So is this not true??

ER and ICU seem to be heavy on the travelers. If you check medical, surgical, hemo, etc I don't think you would find that sort of ratio. You made me curious. There is a big push to get homegrown nurses into the system. I will try to snoop a bit!

I will have the scoop on staff in the hospital myself come mid May. Like most all areas in the US there is a major nursing shortage and will be for sometime to come. Colleges just aren't big enough to put out the amount of nurses that are needed to supply hospitals in demand, which are most.

I understand that, Lori. I am just saying: to state that 75% of the staff are travelers seemed pessimistic, given the changes in the hospital structure the last few years. Yes, there is a huge need. I am frequently maligned for my views on this, but I hope for an influx of nurses who come for a traveler experience and convert to regular employment. We need nurses who will stay and be part of the community, not bail for various, usually monetary, reasons. Yes, there are problems with the government salary scales...

Lori:

The problem with the nursing shortage is that not too many people are attending nursing schools.

The nursing program is tough one....we need more individuals enrolled now to avoid the impending critical shortage. The average age of an RN is something like 50+ years old.....and they're beginning to retire or change professions.

F.I.

Hello vitl1,

For nursing information visit the hospital's websites; http://www.jflusvi.org/ and http://www.rlshospital.org/.

Your sister should review the Education Department's website; http://www.teachusvi.net/.

--Islander

Hi, I'm really interested in hearing more on the subject of nursing on the islands. I'm thinking of travelling, but I'll be alone - how safe is this area? I've read conflicting tales! Please help! Thanks so much!

Cindy, Are you a nurse, if so what unit do you work. I am new to the island and starting a job at the hospital here on STT in May. Maybe I can give you some useful info... Lori

Hey Lori, I'm an OR nurse, and am considering a position in st croix. I'd LOVE to hear from you & get the scoop! Thanks so much!
Cindy

Cindy, I am a travling ER nurse and have never worked on the Islands before so this should be very interesting! St Croix is also a place of interest for me so any info you can send my way would be cool. I start May 22 so keep an eye out on the message board
"nursing in the VI" if it's good maybe I can do alittle recruiting. Later, Lori

Hi,
I"ve worked on both stt and stx. Im a nicu nurse. I have to agree that saying 75% of the staff is travelers is definately not true, at least not my area. I woked NICU but floated to women's center and peds and there were few travelers at best. I [personally am going to be on tortola this summer so if any of the nurses want to keep in touch please do.If you want to check out another island I'll gladly show you around. You can also PM me with other questions. Have fun, the island is great.

Thanks to you both for your replies; I'll be looking forward to hearing how things are going for y'all. Keep me posted! Take care, Cindy

Hey Sidnie,
I would love to see Tortola this summer so maybe we can hook up and who know our paths may cross at the hospital in STT, it is a small island. I would like to hear more on your working experences and how you work at all the island hospitals?? I have your email address and will touch base when I get settled in, thanks, Lori

Hi Lori,
that would be great. For the short answer : I have the perfect job here in alaska. I work a job share sort of thing, working three months on and threee off. On my off time in the summer and winter I do other jobs. Usually I work for a medevac company in the winter and then go to the caribbean in the summer. Please do email me and keep in touch.
sidnie

WOW, sounds like the perfect way to live life and make a living all at the same time. Alaska is a place I would like to see someday on my travels. I will keep in touch, looking forward to hooking up this summer, take care, Lori

Can you tell me about the NICUs at the different hospitals? What level are they? Do they deep sick infants or do the get shipped out? What are the job possibilities for a nicu nurse. I have 18 years nicu experience and am thinking about relocating to the usvi.

There is going to be a conference on st. thomas june 7 &8 to discusss healthcare nursing issues in the caribbean. It is being put on at the marrriot and one of the sponsors is the university's nursing college. Anyone on island may want ot attend. The price is only $10 per day.

Cindy,
I just finished an assignment at St. Croix. I just wanted to advise you that you may want to consider St. Thomas instead. At St. Croix, in the OR, there is a nursing shortage there so bad now that the charge nurse and manager are taking call almost every night. They have first and second call teams. Anyway, they do C-Sections there and believe me, you will do nothing but work and take call.............and due to the C-Sections and a few other things, you do work all day and very often in the middle of the night as well. If I were to come back to the Virgin Islands, I would choose St. Thomas............so much more to do and access to the other islands is much easier....and more economical. I hope this helps.

here is an article that I came across while looking for the one that the Source posted fairly recently. It's similar to this one anyway.

http://www.rlshospital.org/news_archive/2007/02_17_07.htm

what is this travelling nurse thing vs just a nurse thing.

I'm not looking to become one so no threat there.

traveling nurses do 3 month contracts in various cities and there is usually the option to renew the contract at the end of the 3 months if desired. My mom is one in the states and they also give you a housing allowance. she loves it! AND then you get a going away party every 3 months! I am trying to get her to do a stint here for a bit.