Nov. 28, 2003 – Another young Virgin Islander has passed her national board examinations to become a registered nurse at Roy L. Schneider Hospital.
Cosette Minelly Parra, a recent University of the Virgin Islands Nursing Division graduate, learned this week that she passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX). She joins six other Virgin Islanders who passed their board exams this fall and are now full-time registered nurses at the hospital.
Parra, who works in the intensive care unit, said her experience in the hospital's Graduate Nurse Intern Program last summer helped her prepare for the rigorous board exams. "It helped me a lot," she said, crediting program coordinator Cynthia L. Rice for her assistance both in the classroom and at the computer practicing for the exam.
"It's a relief" to have her R.N., Parra said, "and it's also very exciting."
Working at Schneider Hospital "is where I want to be," the Charlotte Amalie High School graduate said. "I plan on staying here for a while."
Participants in the Graduate Nurse Intern Program agree to work for at least two years at Schneider Hospital or its Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center on St. John after getting their R.N. certification. A total of 13 John DeLuca says the major overhaul of Medicare bodes well for the V.I. hospitals to see a boost in federal payments to offset the current low reimbursement rate, if steps are taken … UVI graduates took part in the summer training program; six are awaiting their test dates for the NCLEX exam.
The hospital began the R.N. preparation program this year as part of its efforts to recruit and retain local graduate nurses as a preferable alternative to relying on visiting nurses to meet its staff needs.
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