A team of volunteer nurses from NJHA member hospitals and health systems deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands to support Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas, where medical services are still scarce in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

NJHA assisted the N.J. Department of Health in recruiting volunteer nurses for two, 15-day missions. The first deployment of nurses from Hackettstown Medical Center, St. Francis Medical Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center (Camden), Bayshore Community Hospital and St. Peter’s University Hospital departed this morning. Two nurses from University Hospital will be leading the team, and all volunteers will be under the umbrella of the state’s Medical Reserve Corps. 

This deployment builds on New Jersey’s commitment to assist other regions affected by the spate of storms this fall. NJHA organized nurse volunteers to provide relief to hospital teams at Bay Area Regional Medical Center outside Houston following the devastating storm and flooding in September. In addition, about 30 members of New Jersey’s EMS Task Force recently returned home from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Both deployments are in addition to several service trips organized by healthcare professionals and organization across the state to these sites, as well as Puerto Rico.