Dakarman, on the old 330s (the RAF ones at least) the door jettison was on the door itself, both inside and out. Seems far more logical, why it was moved I don't know.
On the subject of the pax opening the door rather than jettisoning it in emergency when they do what is most normal to them, perhaps this needs to be addressed in the training you are given. Sliding the door open may very well condemn those at the front so it must be well drilled into you guys to jettison the door as a well drilled emergency procedure.
The VSI is a small strip gauge on the outermost screens, so if you can see those screens you probably can see it, just not very well from back there!