travlingirl09

As I stated previously, I worked on the island of SAINT THOMAS not St. Croix. I had some friends complete their assignment in STT and then move on to St. Croix and state that it was "a little" better than STT (St. Thomas). I have no experience on St. Croix so I would never say anything about it. However, being a travel nurse for over three years I do know that facilities vary greatly from location to location, even if it is a difference of only 10 miles. St. Thomas Island is the main cruise ship port in the USVI so yes, we DID see a lot of tourists and vacationers in the ER who were violently assaulted. I believe my recollection of my ST. THOMAS experience in 2004 is accurate and my friends who are STILL THERE tell me nothing much has changed. I do believe it is all in what you are looking for in an assignment. Awesome weather, beaches and food do apply to St. Thomas. As in any travel assignment, common sense and strong nursing skills apply. Hope this clears things up...cariad.

i worked in the VI in 2004. I worked in St. Thomas. It is a beautiful place, the ferries are cheap to go to St. John and St. Croix. The beaches are free. The jewelry, cigarrettes and alcohol are VERY cheap (if you smoke and drink). HOWEVER, you should be informed that the working environment is very dangerous. (As of May 2004)..... ICU has 8 beds with staffing of only 2 nurses. ICU RN responds to codes (which happened EVERY night) so that leaves one nurse for 8 critically ill patients. The MDs are....lets say..... not as educated as I have seen in the mainland. One MD stated to a nurse during a code "Well, don't you know what to do?!" Wish I was joking, but I'm not. On the medical floor I would have critically ill patients that needed to be in ICU but alas no beds were available. Mannitol drips for CHI, Cardiac drips and no monitoring... etc. As far as supplies... If I needed to give blood there was no tubing. If i needed to hang IVFs we would have tubing but no IVFs, etc etc etc. No hot water, sometimes no power. No TVs in the room, no kleenex, etc. Family would have to bring in all of that. As far as the staff.... the CNAs would "disappear" at night. They bring in their pillows from home and would go to the staff library or an empty room and sleep. The other nurses that I worked with would go to sleep and heaven forbid if I would wake them up!! Expect to have 9 patients at night and be in charge with absolutley NO help from the staff (because they're all MIA taking naps!). If you STILL want to go to the VI please take a travel buddy. The island is dangerous. We would see a couple shootings and stabbings a night in the ER. We would see frequent rapes as well. At night I would ABSOLUTLEY advise you to do the buddy system and do not go anywhere alone... even if you are a guy. One of my friends got his car broken into twice. Another friend had her apartment broken into... everything was stolen (including the diamonds she just bought). Another friend was held up by gun point walking to work IN THE DAYLIGHT. She didn't last but a week and went home. If you happen to get sick there... LEAVE!! Even if it's only to Puerto Rico, its better than staying there. When I was there the mortality rate of abd surgeries was 80% this is no joke. All in all it just wasn't worth the pay and the worry that I could have lost my nursing license because of the working conditions. Hope this helps.