Puerto Rico anyone?

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 28, 2005

My husband and I are thinking of moving to Puerto Rico late next year. We are just now beginning to investigate our newest hairbrained idea, so if anyone has any info we would appreciate it. Housing costs, jobs (only want to work a couple of days a week). Things of that nature. Thank you in advance for any help. We gotta get out of this place!!

Housing is very reasonable and the cost of living is too. Nursing is grossly underpaid. Expect about 8-12 dollars an hour as an RN (seriously). Arecibo (North part of the Island) is nice and so is San Juan, Bayamón, Santurce (Metropolitan Area).

I moved from PR about 2 years ago. Most of my family is there and many are RN's. Good luck to you. :)

yuppakitty · Sep 22, 2005

This is a subject very close to my heart as I am in the process of arranging a move back to PR. First of all I don't think that PR accepts licensing by endorsement. I have been trying to contact the Board of Nurse Examiners and, typical in the Caribbean, it's hard to contact them by phone and they do not have a website. So any nurse looking to work down there needs to be aware that 1. there may not be licensure by endorsement 2. re taking the exam may be required which means that 3. nurses may have to learn Spanish. I am lucky. I lived there for 18 years and am 100% fluent. 4. Housing is expensive, unless people are willing to live in the "barrios" or local neighborhoods as a native of the Island. Condos on the beach for example are kind of high priced. Again it all comes down to knowing where you are and knowing the Island which I do. Also ladies please understand that the culture down there is oppressive as far as women are concerned. When I lived there I found that nursing was not a respected profession as any lady who is in the company of a man who is not her husband and who is not fully dressed may be considered "loose". Sounds strange to those of us who have lived here in the US but that's just the way it is. PLEASE guys don't get me wrong. I love my Island and my people. Also I have heard from many relatives living on the Island that the crime rate is extremely high and that is the reason for many folks to emigrate to the US. I don't mean to paint a negative picture at all. I am just being realistic. If the folks or administrators of this board can prove me wrong about these issues, I will be the first to acknowledge my errors and am anxious for any info about the acceptance of US nursing licenses by the Board of Examiners. FYI the snail mail is: Board of Nurse Examiners, 800 Roberto H. Todd Ave. Room 202 Stop 18 Santurce, PR 00908. 787 725 7506. Everything in the SanJuan metro area is by stops. The bus stops. The bus starts in SanJuan and goes to Rio Piedras. There is stop 11 which is Miramar, stop 15, stop 18 which is on the road to Bayamon, stop 26 which is Barrio Obreros, and so on. I am writing extensively on this topic because, as I said, I am seeking to "go home". I am an LPN with 17 yrs of good, solid clinical experience. I graduated when they still allowed LPNs to work in Acute Care and lots of other interesting fields of nursing. Now LPNs are utilized a lot in Long Term Care, and medical offices. I lived in the SanJuan area for years, in Bayamon, Manati and loved each and every second of it. The Puerto Rican people are happy, lively and loving, with a great sense of who they are and great pride. It takes a bit to get to know folks down there but the effort is WELL worth it. The food is great too! Anyway, any info about the licensure by endorsement issue would be most welcome. I have sent them a snailmail letter and if and when I receive a reply I will post it here. Take care everybody and "nos veremos en Puerto Rico, la Isla del Encanto. (island of enchantment) It truly is.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 22, 2005

You are correct, the nursing exam will still need to be written in Puerto Rico and in Spanish. If a nurse from there comes up to the mainland, they would still need to take the NCLEX-RN exam and in English.

The only benefit is that you do not have to deal with immigration headaches....

yuppakitty · Sep 22, 2005

Thank you Suzanne. Finally you have answered a question I have been trying to ask of the PR Board for two weeks! (smile) Can you tell me where you found this information? It isn't that I question it, I'm just curious about your source as I have done countless searches on the subject without any success whatsoever. Now I know how to proceed. Oh well. Guess I better get out my med/surg book and bone up! Thanks again.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 22, 2005

They have to take the exam when they come here, so in return, you would be required to write the exam there. They do not use NCLEX for licensure there.

Remember, they are a US territory, they are not one of the 50 states. They cn set what ever requirements that they wish. You will also need to pass Spanish exams.

Your biggest concern is going to be the salary. You are talking of less than $15 per day down there as a nurse, are you sure that is what you want to do?????

You would be much further ahead by working on the mainland for two weeks, then going down there and doing nothing...........your salary down there will not maintain your normal living expenses that you are used to.

yuppakitty · Sep 23, 2005

You are more than correct about the salaries. Never mind $15 per hour, how about $5.25 per hour for an LPN? Absolutely outrageous. Good thing for me is that I only have to pay for basic necessities. It is a large concern I admit. The thing with me is I am 57 years old and not exactly starting out. If I could find a facility that had decent benefits, the lack of salary would be a secondary concern at least to me anyway, for example the VA down there. I am more interested in such things as retirement benefits and health insurance at this point in my life and my career. I became a nurse as a second life career, graduating at the age of 40 and it was/is the best thing I ever did. I simply cannot see myself doing anything else with my life. Nursing is one of the most honorable, noble and underpaid professions that exist and the satisfaction is boundless. The look on a patients face when you smile or simply touch their shoulder. Nothing in the world like it. My problem is that I am almost as old as some of the patients I care for up here in Boston. I have a small house that was left to me by my parents and only need to pay for electricity and water. Nothing more at least as far as the house goes. It is in the country and at the top of a mountain. I don't want to be political or anything but there is no place in the world closer to the beauty of nature. Anyway, you are correct. There is much to consider. As I said at this point in my life money, while important, isn't my only issue. It isn't like I have little ones to worry about anymore. That would clearly be a different scenario altogether. While we are on the subject, any ideas on where I might purchase some review books in Spanish? Thank you and to all you "youngsters" out there who are considering a nursing career, there is nothing better in this world and I advise you to research thoroughly before you make any life's decision but I do not believe that any of you will EVER regret becoming a part of the Nursing family. Take my advice however. Go for your RN!!

suzanne4, RN · Sep 23, 2005

The $15 was for the day, not per hour.:)

PRnurse · Nov 12, 2005

Yuppakitty

I am really affraid that you talk like that about the island and then said you want to go back. I think we dont need people like you there. Right now in PR they have new wages scale for nurses. I am RN and with wath I used to earn in PR I was able to paid my bills,my new car,a house and I still have some money left for entertaiment for me and my 3 kids.OK. In PR the cost of living is not expensive.

PRnurse