Thinking of relocating

I don't work at the RLS Hospital, I do work at the Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix. I don't work in a clinical position, rather I have a job in the admin section of the hospital, so please take my comments for what they are worth.

I am not sure that your position will be less stressful than the environment you are njhow orking in, but the stressors will most likely be different. Much of the quipment is older, the physical plants may not be maintained as well as you are accustomed to, and their is a chronic problem with staffing levels.

The education quality may not be what you are used in Michigan, on a number of levels. Yes it is expensive to live here, perhaps you can do it on what the RLS Hopsital will pay you, but it will make the transition a bit more difficult.

Regarding the essential oils, etc, I beleive other people here do the same type of thing, so it would appear the supplies are available.

When you come here for an interview, look at the workplace with a critical and objective eye, it will be the only chance you have to do so. Make yourself of what you have to have from a job for it to be succesful, and dteremine whether or not the RLS offers you that.

I see many nurses and clinical folks that come here, expecting it to be a permanent move, only to leave after six months or so.

Good luck

Major OUCH! A young son, a dog and selling your stateside home to come here with a major pay cut to boot. Surely you jest? Rsearch the posts on this forum, the FAQs and moving stories before even thinking about such a move. Sorry, but are you CRAZY! !!!!!

The USPS delivers here so you should be able to order supplies for your side business. Private schooling will consume a large chunk of your paycheck. Cost of living here is extremely high. You will likely find working here stressful. Nevertheless, many of us choose to live here and the trade-offs you would have to make may suit you and your son.

Wow! Thats a lot to think about. I will definitely visit first to check out everything but the high cost of living and the quality of education and patient care will be my determining factors. I quess thats why they call it Paradise with a price! LOL thanks for comments. Can anyone tell me why the wages are so low there?

Wise words spoken to me last year:

"This is a great place to visit but a hard place to live".

So true.

You have to really know what you're getting into and you have to really want to be here.

I'm not sorry that I moved here but even having 20 years of "experience" with the island through vacations and occasional work, living here was quite an adjustment.

There are many things I love about this place and I remind myself of those things whenever the other agita becomes too great.

If cost of living, quality of education and patient care are your criteria - don't move to the VI.The cost of living is high - your 3K bonus will be gone in days. Your child will need home schooling or private education and patient care will probably not be up to snuff.
To answer your question - 51K is not a 'good' household income in the VI IMHO.

just out of curiosity, what would you consider a "good' household income? I thnk I have seen $70-80K posted before. But it is a tough one because "good" is quite subjective.

My husband and I moved to STT in November. I came ahead because of my job and found a 2 bed / 1 ba to rent that allowed our 2 Labrador Retrievers. It has a great view of Magen's Bay and we pay $1,500/ month. There are no amenities to speak of, but it does have washer and dryer hook-ups. It can be difficult to find a place that will allow pets, but it is not impossible. However, you may need to leave Fido with someone in the states while you find that place.

STX is a cheaper place to live, in my opinion. On average, you will find gasoline cheaper, electricity cheaper, and rent cheaper. Housing is also cheaper if you are looking to buy. If we had found jobs on STX first, STX would have been our first choice. You may want to keep that in mind. There is a hospital on STX that may also need people with your expertise. You will get differing opinions regarding schools, but many people do prefer to place their kids in private school. We don't have any kids, but I would check into the cost of private schools before making a decision. There have been many posts on this Board regarding the pros/ cons of public / private schools on STT and STX.

Moving is a huge expense and the $3,000 bonus will not go as far as you might think. Do your research and ask lots of questions. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Bluelotus: The temporary assignment would give you a good feel for life here. We need nurses, but the nurses are not always treated as well as they should be. If you can see past that and try to see yourself as adding to the community (which you are), you may find personal satisfaction you won't find elsewhere. My personal opinion about the low wages is that it is a union-driven economy. The hospital, for example has something like 7 different union contracts- doctors, nurses, administrators, as well as the ones you expect- laundry, housekeeping, maintenance, etc. People are paid on an artificial basis, rather than a market -driven one. The "best" jobs are in the government- $80-100,000 for "administrators" and "assistant to the ..." positions. Search the Daily News for their section that appeared last fall listing all the executive branch salaries. The government had refused for years to provide this information, probably because they had been (okay, still are) riding rough shod over service level people.

The hospital really needs nurses. Come on down! I would definitely "try it on for size" before accepting a long-term commitment, though.

This isnt a just a single lady by herself though she has a kid. So make sure this is a good fit for you and your child first please.

"Trying it on for size" does not work well for a dependant child - a whole upheaval to a foreign country etc etc then another possible upheaval upon return to the States if it "doesn't work out". Not cool.
Private schooling, which is almost a must, is not cheap in the VI.
Many people have pointed out that "local" families live on far less than we say is necessary. One has to remember that they have a support system that provides services gratis that we, as transplants, have to pay for. It does make a difference.

Betty: I would assume that she would figure things out during her temporary assignment.

Bluelotus: We do need nurses. Maybe it won't be easy, but you are needed. 🙂

I live in Canton Michigan and am relocating at this time. My husband started a position in February and I am here still trying to sell the house. Houses in the neighborhood have droved their houses from $265 downd to $249. I am at $279000 and will be dropping the price today. I have a plan to drop the price down to $259,000.

My husband has found a house un-furnished without A/C for $900 monthly. He had to sign a long term lease but it is very clean and large.

On a good note, yesterday I pumped gas for $2.79. Cost on STX since hubby has been there is $1.99

Look at your paycheck and determine how much state income tax you get taken out. (Not taken out on STX)

On the bad side, you will be on an island. No shopping center, Your son will need to be adventurous to go find things to do. Take up kite sailing, or scuba diving. That is exensive too.

By the way, I am leaving no matter what in June. Daughter will be here and by August when she goes back to college, we will have given the house away.....

Marlene

oops! Just saw, you are moving to St. Thomas with gas prices at a higher price than Michigan.

Marlene

Gas on STX is now 2.29. Don't count on anything being cheaper here except liquor.

Why dont you try a travel nurse position there first. You make almost the same money and your housing is paid for. Then you can get a feel for the hospital, the neighborhoods, etc. Also, since your housing would be paid you can see how far the money will stretch and if it is feasible for your family.

bluelotus2007: I was waiting for someone to come up with that option but was biding my time because I'm not in any way affiliated with the hospitals here or the nursing professionals, apart from the fact that many travelling nurses come to my place.

There have been many posts on this subject (travelling nurses) and sidnie makes a very good point in that their stipend and salaries are most generous and way above what a locally hired nurse can expect (thus some of the angst directed toward travellers by local nursing staff.) On the other hand, I don't know that the travelling nurses can bring children with them on assignments and certainly not pets. They're most either singles or, if married, child stays behind with husband for the contractual period and both might visit at own expense during that period.

But it's worth looking into and working as a traveller might not only pay you very good money for a three-month contract but will afford you a first-hand look at the reality of living and working here before making such a crucial decision.

Your "stress level" working as a nurse here is going to be very high for many reasons. It's far removed from the sore throat/cough/rash routine. Again, I'm involved with the hospitals here only from a hearsay basis, and from being a patient (they tried to kill me at least once but that's a whole 'nother story!)

As to the past, I worked for many years at both Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale University School of Medicine in both the departments of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Therapy and still maintain contact with those with whom I worked. That's just for historical perspective issues concerning from where one might come posting about medical issues on this forum!

Unless you've worked in a basic inner-city crime-rampant environment, you'll probably be ill-prepared for all the gunshot and stab wounds which are a regular part and parcel of the ER service which of course end up on the wards.

I'm sorry if I'm offending anybody but hospital security here leaves much to be desired. Even back in the late 70s and early 80s at Yale, security became a huge issue and all employees were required to wear badges in order to report for work and all visitors were likewise scrutinized most carefully.

The last time I went to visit someone in the hospital here on STT was several years ago, that I admit and maybe things have changed since then,

There were signs at the entrance directing visitors to the desk clerk for security reasons. I breezed through without even stopping at the desk, took the elevator up to the floor where my friend was, visited and left with no security check whatsoever. As I said, maybe things have changed for the better in that regard in the last few years. Too bad that such extraneous measures have to be taken but whatever measures the hospital here on STT had a few years ago was so inferior to what stateside hospitals had implemeted over two decades before was certainly food for thought.

There are still police reports noted from time to time of "disturbances" at the hospital and in particular the ER where local punks with guns have tried to storm in to finish what they were unable to finish on the outside and have this crack-enhanced idea of bursting in to blow away the m-f who survived their shots and who they're intent on doing away with.

It's a never-ending saga.

Enough for now and I'm sure many will pipe up with in due course. Cheers!

I think security has improved, at least a year or so ago when I got my eye operated on. I had to sign in & wasn't expecting it & was stopped. I also headed for the door afterwards & was stopped again to sign out. I don't know about emergency, however because I luckily haven't had to use it.

It did use to be awful there but it's much improved under new leadership but problems with money, etc. still remain. I remember when patients' families had to go out to the drug store to buy bandages & dressings. That's no exaggeration, either & that thankfully has stopped.

Res: Change does not come easily, but it does come. If you have not been to Schneider Regional in a few years, you would find that it is very different. There are still issues, but it is accredited. Please don't judge things by old memories!!

Funny, I felt there was TOO MUCH security at the hospital.
Come on, I'm there to give birth, you've seen me a ton of times in that day alone, do you really need to see my ID again?!?!?!

HI,
First let me right some misbeliefs. You most certainly can bring kids when you travel, i've done it and so have alot of others. As far as a dog, it depends on the housing, which I readily admit may be difficult on stt. The other misbelief is the money. Yes, including the housing you make more but the rate of pay is very similar. I believe you were talking $51,000 for a year. I made what would have come out to $49,000 for a year as a traveler there. I believe the going rate on delphi , being offered by travel companies is $21-23/hr. I enjoyed very much my time at Schneider and am actually considering another assignment there. I come from a rural background so I'm used to the less than optimal equipment , etc. but found the docs very knowledgeable and helpful and most of the staff were warm and welcoming. I was just throwing out an option so she could get a taste before jumping in with both feet. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.