nurses in the DR

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strawberrru

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I have just returned from my second trip to the DR and my dream to live and work in the DR is stronger than ever. I was wondering if anyone knew how much nurses make in the private hospitals in Santo Domingo. Also, anyone have any information about getting a license in the DR. Would my US license be enough? Thanks for any information!
-Keri
 
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MeDominican

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Probably not very much

Oh boy! I do not believe a nurse in DR would make anywhere near what a nurse in the U.S. makes. There was a time that a secretary here in the U.S. made much more than a doctor there... not quite sure what the situation is now.

Glad you liked the D.R.


MeDominican
 
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Eddy

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MeDominican said:
Oh boy! I do not believe a nurse in DR would make anywhere near what a nurse in the U.S. makes. There was a time that a secretary here in the U.S. made much more than a doctor there... not quite sure what the situation is now.

Glad you liked the D.R.


MeDominican
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Nursing is of the lowest paid jobs in the DR. It's a shame. There are some really good ones out there. Thank goodness they are professional and work for something other than $$$.
 
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RHM

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A Registered Nurse in the US with a BSN can make great money. Here they are paid like watchmen. And you get what you pay for.

Scandall
 
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Ken

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Eddy said:
Nursing is of the lowest paid jobs in the DR. It's a shame. There are some really good ones out there. Thank goodness they are professional and work for something other than $$$.
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I agree.

Regarding certification as a nurse, if Hillbilly doesn't respond to your question soon, find one of his many posts and send him a PM or email. He is the authority on the board regarding licenses for medical professionals.
 
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HOWMAR

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The Emergency Room nurse at Central Medical Bournigal, a private clinic in Puerto Plata makes about 8,000 pesos/month.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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As all of the above posters have said, nursing, much unlike the US, is not a well paid profession. Yes, there are some very fine graduate nurses here, but they have been here for years and are truly the Head Nurses at their respective clinics. However, even then, their pay is abismally low.

As far as licensing goes, I know of no formal license required to be a nurse in theDR>...

At the PUCMM in Santiago, we had the first university level nursing program in the DR, but many years ago we had to close it because of a lack of applicants!! And this was a program that had 5000 requests for nurses from the United States sitting on the program director's desk!! You got a diploma and a visa at the same time!! In fact, there is now a program underway--if they can get qualified students-- to train nurses for two years here and then send them to New Jersey for a final two years and licensing...guaranteed salaries will be in the $40-$50K range...

I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why any nurse would want to come here to practice...unless he/she is really imaginative and wants to set up some type of recovery facility or rehab facility or something in that order where he/she would be the top boss....

In this society, nurses are truly not too much more than assistants way down the ladder....

HB
 
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PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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strawberrru said:
I have just returned from my second trip to the DR and my dream to live and work in the DR is stronger than ever. I was wondering if anyone knew how much nurses make in the private hospitals in Santo Domingo. Also, anyone have any information about getting a license in the DR. Would my US license be enough? Thanks for any information!
-Keri
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Nurses are on the low end of the pay scale. For example, at a private clinic in Hig?ey the pay rate for the Director of Nurses is about RD$ 15,000 which is at today's exchange rate is about US$ 460 a month.

If HB says that he knows of "no formal license required" take him at his word.

If you do still intend live and work here you will be in an medical environment that is still lacking in some areas of technology and procedures that are routine in the U.S. However, you will find the medical establishment here has the ability to do well with the little they have.

A suggestion for you is spend some more time on the island to acquaint yourself with the culture, to hook up with a clinic during a visit and spend a week or two of volunteer work. You will learn from them and at the same they will learn from you. Afterwards, you will have a better barometer of your desire to live and work here.

I wish you well.

Regards,
PJT
 
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Ken

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strawberrru said:
I have just returned from my second trip to the DR and my dream to live and work in the DR is stronger than ever. I was wondering if anyone knew how much nurses make in the private hospitals in Santo Domingo. Also, anyone have any information about getting a license in the DR. Would my US license be enough? Thanks for any information!
-Keri
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You didn't mention whether you speak Spanish. That would be important if you wanted to work in a hospital here.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Good point, Ken...and one I surely overlooked!! :(

Point is, the Spanish needed is colloquial Dominican Spanish. At our Med school we teach students to listen for certain key words that are not remotely in any textbook: dar de cuerpo; recordar; "hinca"....

Of course, nurses don't deal with patients much, only in preping for surgery, recovery and then in the rooms. They don't do work-ups previous to a Dr.'s visit or things like that.

HB :D:D
 
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Ken

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But they communicate a lot with other nurses, many of whom don't speak English, and with doctors who may or may not speak English.
 
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strawberrru

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Thank you all very much for your information. I am proficient in spanish. In the summer of 2004 I spent six weeks studying in the capital and then six weeks volunteering in el hospital de Vallejuelo. I figured nurses did not make very much especially considering the work that they do is nothing like the work here in the US. I am not looking to go down and make a lot of money. More of just an adventure and improve my spanish. I toured the large pediactric hospital in SD and at that point had the desire to come back and work there, but in a private hospital. I am interested in mission work, but at this time in my life I am not able to come up with the funds to support me in mission work. I was wondering if anyone could give me any information about a hospital in SD called "hospital de los gringos". I heard about it but can't seem to get more information on it other than it was started by people who speak english. Thank you again for all your help!
-Keri
 
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billyidol

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hi
i spoke with a american trained doctor in the camino del sol area (8mths ago about this) and he shivered when i said; 'could a nurse earn 2000 pesos a week'?.......he said 'no way' (in his practice, which caters to the foreigners visiting local hotels).

further a dominican woman i know is a nurse in pop. she told me she earns around 700-1000peso a week. This is a far cry from the wages americans can earn....as you probably know the northern american states pay more to their nurses (55-65k annum). As HB said the nurses are considered to be very low on the ladder of professions from what i hear!

some remaining thoughts of mine; to work in the usa; you have to have your boards, uk you must satisfy the criteria for the NMC, but i find it amazing that no registration is required in the DR. Perhaps and like Australia and New Zealand all you need is your degree and you are free to work. I would assume there would have to be some type of registration office that nurses register with in the DR if for no other reason than to keep account of who is actaully working as a nurse. But as many have said this is the DR and they do things differently here!
 
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strawberrru

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I understand that I am not going to be making a lot of money down there which is good because I want to go down to learn more about the culture and language. I not only fell in love with that but with the people there too. I just want to be able to have enough money to cover my food and living expenses. but it is sounding like that might not even be a possibility. Another thought I had (which I could use some contacts for) would be going through a travel nurse agency in the states. I haven't been able to find any agency that sends nurses to the DR. any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Keri
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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CARE used to send nurses here. One of them became famous. She got the best orthopedic guy in Santiago to give up his first wife and marry her!...She still can't speak Spanish after thirty years...:D:D

Think more business-like. A geriatic facility. A military service rehab facility-sort of a half-way house between military service and civilian life...
Something along those lines.

HB :D:D:D
 
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billyidol

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ive not seen any american nurse travel companies in the usa cater to the dr market. you know what i would do! save some money; enough for a year (10k??)..discover which charitable organisations are working here already and hook up with them. they MIGHT???? have accomodation options and pay your food bills when working. Or save some money at home , come to the DR and then work for your 1000p (or however much the hospitals pay per week ). i understand your desire to visit this country and i encourage you to do so! even for 6mths......nursing jobs are a dime a dozen in the states and youll get another easily on your return
cheers
billyidol





strawberrru said:
I understand that I am not going to be making a lot of money down there which is good because I want to go down to learn more about the culture and language. I not only fell in love with that but with the people there too. I just want to be able to have enough money to cover my food and living expenses. but it is sounding like that might not even be a possibility. Another thought I had (which I could use some contacts for) would be going through a travel nurse agency in the states. I haven't been able to find any agency that sends nurses to the DR. any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Keri
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strawberrru

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billyidol,
thanks for all the information. the thought of saving the money is something i have thought about but just don't have the patience. I just recently graduated from college and so it would be several years before i could go down. I am going to try to plan a trip this year sometime to go down and check things out since it's almost impossible to do things from the states. thanks again for everything!
-Keri

p.s. what would an apartment (1 bedroom, 1 bath) run me in a safe neighborhood? (i am a young gringa)
 
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Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Depends on where you want to live and work. In Santiago it would be less than in Santo Domingo...and we have one of the best children's hospitals in the whole Caribbean area with a very active group that supports it and looks after things like medical visits from burn specialists and reconstructive surgry teams...Maybe you could hook up with one of them as an O.R. nurse??

HB :D:D
 
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strawberrru

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HB-
Currently I am wanting to live in SD, partly because that is where I know people and have contacts. I have never been to Santiago, but am not turning anything down. What is the name of the hospital in Santiago? Would you have a name of someone I could contact?

Also, has anyone heard of the hospital "el hospital de los gringos"?

Thanks,
Keri
 
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strawberrru

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I was also thinking, does anyone have any information about US medical teams that come over for short term. Maybe through contacting them I would be able to find a longer assignment. Just a throught! :)
 
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