Anyone know anything about American nurses working in Mexico?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

My husband (also an RN) and I dream of packing up the kids and moving to Mexico someday. Unless we wait 15-20 years to do so, we would most likely need some kind of income to pay the bills, and I'm just wondering if anyone has an experience working as an American RN in Mexico. By the time we'd make the move, I'd be a nurse-midwife, and he'd be a nurse practitioner.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I don't know about working there, but the drug violence sure would give me pause.

Mexico's Drug-Related Violence

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Specializes in Primary Care Nursing.

Yeah, the Canadian government has even issued a travel advisory, especially non-essential travel b/t the Mexican and US borders.

No way, Jose!

The Canadian guy killed there a few weeks ago was a local businessman.

You couldn't pay me enough to go down there.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Not to mention the guy who was jet-skiing in TX and accidentally crossed into Mexican waters. He was shot and killed by Mexican drug traffickers. His body never was recovered.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I'm not talking about Mexico City. I'm talking about small cities with large expat communities, like Merida.

Mexico is a very large country. It's like comparing Compton to Lincoln, Nebraska.

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We are not talking about Mexico City either. The violence is widespread and it is even dangerous in the expat communities that have typically been "relatively safe." Those of us who live on the border may know a thing or two about what is going on in Mexico currently. In fact, several of my friends who are Mexican are not going home for the holidays because of the violence, and they are Mexican citizens.

In addition, working conditions and pay will be Spartan at best.

You have been warned; however, good luck regardless of your decision.

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If you're both going to be APRNs and want to travel, what about the State Dept? It might not exactly be Mexico necessarily (though it could be), but the pay is good and you'd get to travel.

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GilaRN said:
We are not talking about Mexico City either. The violence is widespread and it is even dangerous in the expat communities that have typically been "relatively safe." Those of us who live on the border may know a thing or two about what is going on in Mexico currently. In fact, several of my friends who are Mexican are not going home for the holidays because of the violence, and they are Mexican citizens.

In addition, working conditions and pay will be Spartan at best.

You have been warned; however, good luck regardless of your decision.

We are by Agua Frieta and Nogales...Are you close, as well? Just nice to "know" someone on here that's close!

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An American is an American. You couldn't pay me enough to go there. I have enough trouble with the north of the border version of those unsafe areas.

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Specializes in geriatric correction hospice occupation.

I've been to Mexico in several places and have inlaws there in many cities and yes the violance is spreading even to the remote countryside. Will I go back -yes. Don't know how long it's gonna take u to get ready to move but general opp has it its gonna get worse before it gets better. anyway the pay for nurses is min. compaired to here, ud be working for food and a few extras with the kids. a country (not too out there) house thats native and not for tourists is around $300 a month secrete is go look and dont let the landlord know its for you. have a native do the hagling and get it in writing - u'll pay out the nose as soon as they here u speak, everyone wants the dollar. But if they know ur connected to a local thing go a little easier. now for jobs if u can get a US company/Dr to hire u and u work for them you'll only need one type of permit same as a Mexican immigrant appling to work here -gotta show money in the bank *cash not tied up* and a place of employment at the above noted Dr. These are mainely in tourist locations needing bilinguals and resort-type hospitals for well off travlers ie. electave surg. and the like. the other route is the same as immigrants to here from Mexico. apply for ur self s the Dr/US company backing. this process is 2 seporate immigration forms and a transfer of lisensure (all cases included usually requires u travel back to the US about q 6-9 mo for a renual stamp on the work visa) if still serious i've got all the form # wrote down somewhere and will post them to u. AND for licensure and saftey of ur on rear learn ALL your drugs and conditions in proper spanish then the lets call it by this name spanish. Board of Nursing for the state ur going to should be contacted for their requirements along with the national board of nurses at a Mexical consulat and then ask them to reccomend a drug book and study manuel that their students use to brush up on term'lgy in spanish. I've searched hard even had a girl there look for drug translation books to make it easier -none located. next time I go i'm gonna dig for myself, things run on island time -u get the best service if u go in person to everything wheather paying a light bill or refilling a script. Thats' another thing have u been sick there -pharmacies have and sell ur meds s scripts-s is the big spanish sin -no script. they are susposta be trained but uhh if i had listened to the guy at the pharmacy my kid would have had a major medical issue. with all typed would i still go? u bet. work there? yep. my experiances are as a person assimalated into the neighborhood not as a traveling tourist wanting to live there for some amount of time. if u do really go your eyes will be opened to poverty and a totally diffrent way of life. If nothing else my kids and I come back with a profound humbling love of life and a deep need to make a diffrance in anothers life. Not All Who Wander Are Lost.

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greenfiremajick said:
We are by Agua Frieta and Nogales...Are you close, as well? Just nice to "know" someone on here that's close!

I live more to the East, but I assume we have had similar experiences.

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klone said:
I'm not talking about Mexico City. I'm talking about small cities with large expat communities, like Merida.

Mexico is a very large country. It's like comparing Compton to Lincoln, Nebraska.

Mexico has changed. I love Mexico and enjoyed traveling there but it's not safe. The small cities, large cities, villages, rancheros, coasts, interior, are being affect by the cartels. Don't forget the dealers barged into a hospital and murdered singer Zayda Peña in her hospital bed as she was recovering from a previous attempt on her life. She was only 28 years old, they killed her because she wrote & sang anti-narco songs. Most recently singer Sergio Vega was murdered for also being anti-cartel. If they are willing to kill such well known Mexican artists nothing will stop them from gunning down nurses, doctors, children and anyone else who gets in their path.

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