GRADRN2010

I live and work here in STX. You need a car unless you live across the street in the trailer park, Peppertree terrace or down the street at Queens Quarters. YOU NEED A CAR here! Rentals are $650.00 the cheapest (im NOT lying) for the smallest car. Please do not come if you are used to working at a state of the art hospital..and then complain about it. We are a good group of people who are hard workers and love travel nurses...unless they complain. Beach, sun and drink and enjoy!

No Drug Test

I have a WI. license which is a compact license that works in TX. I would assume that has something to do with it. I have been offered 2 interviews in TX; Dallas and Houston to fly in. They each gave me a week and half notice which was plenty of time. They were very nice about it, but I did not take the interviews for other personal reasons. I will say this.....almost all places I applied to made a point of calling me b/c; nursing is my second career and I had some medical background. One lady made a point of telling me that they were looking for mature people who had a sense of the world and that they did not want a new 22 year old grad.

I received the same "no response" but never told her I was out of state...though it was on my resume.

You will only see the Econo if you are coming from Guayanabo. I looked on google, HWY 177 is on it. From San Juan; Condado, Isla Verede.... 18 S toward Caugus. At 18 and Hwy 1, 18 turns to 52 S. At 18 and Hwy 1 there is a HUGE building with a water fall thing you can see from the expressway. I think it says Centennial on top. Centennial is a phone carrier here. Stay 52 S and the NEXT exit is for HWY 177. Take the first exit, west. 2 stop lights go right and school on left. Parking is $1 after you start and register your car. The closest train is Cupey stop. There are suppose to be buses from school that pick people up and bring them to school but I do not know how unreliable it is. I would not recommend using them. YOU NEED A CAR here. Period.

There is one student who does work at a hospital here. They speak espanol tambien but it took 4 months to find a job and it was only b/c they knew someone. You think the school paperwork is a pain....the PR nurse licensing paperwork and process is a NIGHTMARE. People....beware....you need lots of things notarized here...by lawyers and fees are at least $25 per paper, usually more. Find a lawyer friend here fast! Bring ALLLLL your original paperwork (birth certificate, ect.) when you come but NEVER EVER give an original to someone, it will get lost, I promise.

At this point you best bet would be to visit the school. Yes, all the poster are correct...you will have little luck on the phone and almost none via email.

On a map it would be near the intersection of HWY 1 and Interstate 18. You cannot see it at this intersection though (expressway.) Take 18S from San Juan to Hwy 177. Go West to the second light (empty lot on right and gas station across from that.) Go right. IAU on left. Park in garage. $2.00.

You sent me a PM but I cannot reply since I am not allowed to send PMS b/c I need about 5 more posts. I can answer your questions but you will need to send them again....to this "quote." I received my acceptance letter after I arrived at the program...yes, after. I received mine when I came to the IAU in person and picked it up at admissions (immediately to the right when you walk in main building.) I think many students did their licensing through Wisconsin b/c it was cheap and the paperwork was easy...I think you can do any state you want though. In our case, WI. will ALWAYS be our main license but we can endorse it anywhere and keep up CE for all the states we/you are licensed in. I REALLY recommend reading about NCLEX (this is to everyone) b/c there are many "paperwork" things you need to know about it. Do not ask ?s you can look up on your own. You need to know all the steps and they are clearly listed at NCLEX Examinations . You can leave the program with your ADN (as you can anywhere) and get licensed as a nurse after taking NCLEX. Realize...you most likely will not get a job as only an ADN. Im applying for jobs now and 99.99999% require BSN.

While these areas are all about 7 miles from school...you will need a car. These places are $$$$$. One beds about 900+. Look in Ocean Park too. Its a small community close to beach between Condado and Isla Verde. Your best best for allll places is to come here and find signs and call. Not many people use the internet here, really. Also, PR's usually do not check voice mail. Im not generalizing, Im telling you the truth from experience and from the fact that non of my friends answer the VM. Its NOT considered rude to not get an answer and call back 2 or three times.

MANY people in the program have already PASSED NCLEX....while still in school. You have to study, as with anything in life. You cannot rely on the school for you passing the NCLEX. This is NOT a slam on the school, its a note for you to take responsibility for your future. It was a hard test. Nobody will pass it just listening to lectures. NCLEX was an active process. Start reading Saunders NCLEX book IMMEDIATELY!

Dont know if this was a joke but.... DO NOT get a scooter here if you do not know how to get around. I will guarantee you...you will get hurt, if not worse.

What did you end up doing? I am/was in the same dilemma and found your post.

Get used to the hurdles people and stop complaining about them because they will continue for you the WHOLE time you are in PR and in the program. I am finishing and I came to a point where I realized I just had to deal with it other than bang my head on the wall. Yes, they are up for review in 2010. They will be evaluated in October.

Yes, I spoke with HR in October 2009. They ONLY accept employees from their hospital into program. AND their hospital ONLY hires people who have at least one year experience. She told me to call and inquire once I had one year experience. She was NOT a pleasant woman on the phone. Jackson DOES NOT have Versant anymore, btw.....