Living in Jamaica: Tried and Tested!
Deborah Pryce brought delight rather than misery when she left London to commence a four week placement at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston as a General Adult Nurse. A few years back, Jamaica was only considered a holiday destination and the thought of residing on the island was definitely out of the question. It’s funny how perceptions change! Life has taken a U-turn after Pryce fully immersed herself in the lifestyle and culture, which empowered her to apply for a passport and citizenship for a place she soon will call home!
Describe your previous experience of Jamaica
I always went to Jamaica for a holiday, I was like a tourist staying at hotels and resorts. I always used to say Jamaica is a good holiday destination, I love the country but, I would never live there. Working and living there, was not going to be me ever because of all the negative feedback I heard from other people but now I realise you should never listen to other people’s opinion. You should really go and experience it for yourself because you don’t really know until you’ve experienced it first-hand.
Tell us about your work history before you were qualified as a General Adult Nurse
I used to work a major London hospital in administration but I had no job satisfaction and I needed to do more. I was basically going to work then coming home to prepare myself for the next day and looking forward to weekends. I just thought to myself, this is no quality of life, I’m just living to pay the bills and go on holiday a couple of weeks a year.
How did you secure a placement at UWI in Kingston?
I was working in the hospital environment so I thought I would train to be a nurse. During that time I was given the opportunity to have a placement at an international hospital so I chose Jamaica being my parents are likely to return one day and it would be good for me to know the health system and get a feel of the whole environment and way of life. I completed my four week placement at UWI Hospital in Mona, which I would highly recommend. It was a rewarding opportunity to see how privileged we are in the UK and how resourceful nurses are in Jamaica.
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