Nursing Jobs in the Dominican Republic

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
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Welcome to DR1 - this question comes up from time to time so I suggest you search the forums and see what answers have been provided in the past.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
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I'll save you some time (although it would be well spent)

DON'T even think of it....

HB
 

LAmestiza

New member
Hi!

I`m new to here, so sorry if I sound like a broken record. I`ve been searching through the forums about nursing in DR, and it seems that most people keep saying to forget about it, because the pay is not worth it.

HOWEVER...I was wondering if there were travel nursing agencies that send nurses to work in DR, and they still get paid the normal North American salaries? I`m a nursing student interested in travel nursing, and Dominican Republic is a beautiful place, where I would love to work if there were Travel Nursing Agencies that send nurses there for contract working.
If anyone has any information on that sort of thing, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you very much for your time.
:)
 

LAmestiza

New member
Oops...I've just stumbled across another thread that mentioned that travel nursing agencies no longer send nurses to Dominican Republic...however that post was three years ago and I'm wondering if things have maybe changed?
In case anybody wants to tell me, it`s not worth it, "the pay sucks", or I will be treated like a bed-pan pusher, don`t worry about that... I`m looking to experience life and culture for a little while! :)
 

TheHun

New member
May 4, 2008
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Well, you would make less than US$ 50/week.
Why don't you work in the US and live here? It can be done.
PM SKing, she will give you the best advise about nursing jobs.

The Hun
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
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No nursing travel agency will send you anywhere without at least a year of experience in a BIG hospital (not some small town general hospital). There are NO travel agencies that send to the DR although I have a colleague that when to Aruba...and Hawaii is possible.
Your best bet is to commute (from DR to USA), it is possible (I do it) but you will not be able to be a travel nurse for a while. Finish your schooling and take your first job at a big name hospital and work 1 year, then you will be ok.
SHALENA
 

bdkincaid

New member
Sep 8, 2011
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No nursing travel agency will send you anywhere without at least a year of experience in a BIG hospital (not some small town general hospital). There are NO travel agencies that send to the DR although I have a colleague that when to Aruba...and Hawaii is possible.
Your best bet is to commute (from DR to USA), it is possible (I do it) but you will not be able to be a travel nurse for a while. Finish your schooling and take your first job at a big name hospital and work 1 year, then you will be ok.
SHALENA


I would strongly disagree with this post. the DR may not be the place to work but hiring on with a travel agency is not hard at all. i worked for several over several years. i came from a small regional hospital (18o beds) and immediately went to mass general in boston and did fine. i also worked at brigham womens, univ of WA, virginia mason, st luke's in jacksonville, st vincent's and OSHU in portland......... all from a small hospital. nobody even blinked an eye or asked me about it. and i worked with a bunch of brand new travel nurses over the years too. they seemed to struggle a bit more than experienced nurses but agencies hired them and obviously hospitals took them. so don't be discouraged by people who tell you that it can't be done or you shouldn't do it. take a chance! wasn't that what you did when you started nursing school? the world is full of naysayers. be a "YESsayer"!!
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
8,367
842
113
You like to eat on a regular basis, enjoy having electricity, there will be no car, like long hours, primitive working conditions, near total lack of personal protective gear? You'll love nursing here. Opps, one last is you need to wash out your rubber gloves and hang them up to dry so you can use them again tomorrow.*
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
gee wiz, a post 7 1/2 years old. can't wait to see what the next one resurected will be.
got to keep the message forums filled up.
jmnorr is only using an already existing thread to mention he/she has a school nurse position, hardly keeping the message forums filled up.

*
You like to eat on a regular basis, enjoy having electricity, there will be no car, like long hours, primitive working conditions, near total lack of personal protective gear? You'll love nursing here. Opps, one last is you need to wash out your rubber gloves and hang them up to dry so you can use them again tomorrow.*



For a school nurse position it could be a whole different kind of position, depending on the kind of school.*
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
I am a Canadian nurse looking to work in the DR. Anyone have any advice?

There are many obstacles to this. First, do you have any Spanish language skills? Second you would have to apply for residency to work in the DR legally. Third, Domincan citizens would probably be given these jobs over a foreigner. Forth, your salary is a fraction of what you would make in Canada. The thought of living in the Caribbean is enticing, but remember paradise doesn't come without a price. Good luck and good travels.
 

Ecoman1949

Born to Ride.
Oct 17, 2015
2,806
1,309
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do you have more info on this position? I just joined and cannot DM yet. Thanks
*There are Canadian companies such as Barrick Resources that have large industrial operations in the DR. Don't know of they have a full time nurse on staff at their minesite but it may be worth checking into. I have friends who worked as travelling nurses in places like Hawaii and the BVI. Excellent pay and benefits and great places to use a travel bases during your time off. Also check out the international schools in the DR. Don't know if they have a full time nurse on staff but it's worth a try.*
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
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48
www.
Medical tourism is growing here and they should be paying better than the usual hospitals, and there speaking English will be an advantage. Your disadvantage in getting the job offers, on the other hand, will be not knowing Spanish, but this could be overridden by your nursing skills when you are considered for the job. These opportunities are in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana.

As stated above, to be paid to work in a hospital you will need to be a resident.

As mentioned above, you could always start volunteering while you learn Spanish and then make contacts for a real job with adequate pay.
 
Jan 7, 2016
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If you expect to make a living here with the nursing profession, I think you'll be sorely disappointed. Nurses here make much less than unskilled home care techs in North America. There just isn't any respect for the position here, as doctors call all the shots and run the hospitals. If you want to live your life here as a low-paid bedpan technician, then by all means get your Residency and then apply for a paying job.
 

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
14,107
595
113
If you expect to make a living here with the nursing profession, I think you'll be sorely disappointed. Nurses here make much less than unskilled home care techs in North America. There just isn't any respect for the position here, as doctors call all the shots and run the hospitals. If you want to live your life here as a low-paid bedpan technician, then by all means get your Residency and then apply for a paying job.

Yep.

You be better off cabbing.