[Rose56]

I got my BSN degree from the Philippines and I have worked in different hospitals in NYC, before staying home to raise my kids. It's really interesting reading all the postings about MDs going into nursing. There were a few classmates of mine, who went to medical school after graduation. One of them (that I know of) went to a medical school in Florida after coming to the US to work as a nurse. They all say, being nurses made them better doctors. It seems to me, that these MDs turned nurses, can't claim the same thing.

I am not familiar with the logistics of this growing trend of doctors entering the nursing profession, but I think it is up to the nursing leadership to safeguard the profession.

[valkyries28]

I hear you!
I am currently working in a big teaching hospital here in Texas. They just hired a doctor turned nurse form the Philippines. As you might expect, this guy is more skillful and better in decision making , but none of these apply to him. It just irritates me seeing him clock in and out without doing anything . We work in a Telemetry floor which is a busy floor. But for this guy, nothing excites him even when his own patient is about to Code! I have not seen him do any bedside care probably for the simple reason he does not like to get his hands dirty. I feel like he does not have the proper training what a true nurse should have or he is not over with the thought that he is a doctor. It is quite ironical to see this doctor turned nurse getting orders from a doctor , or playing a nurse's role that he once mocked and ordered around?? For a doctor , i know for sure he sucks!
I heard these doctors turned nurse only take a year or even less than a year to get a nurse diploma there. That is so unfair!

[fab4fan]

It's really no different that some of the advanced placement programs we have here. If you have a BS in one area, you can get your BSN in about a year; your first degree doesn't even need to be in the medical field.

I don't like the idea of people doing this as a way around the system of getting in the US.

[valkyries28]

Originally Posted by fab4fan

It's really no different that some of the advanced placement programs we have here. If you have a BS in one area, you can get your BSN in about a year; your first degree doesn't even need to be in the medical field.

I don't like the idea of people doing this as a way around the system of getting in the US.

That is very bad! Any BS degree even it is not within the medical field?? So let's say I am an accountant, I could just take a 1 year course of nursing and be done with it??? How about clinicals, are they completing the required number of hours per area ?? I don't think you can finish all of them within a year?? I heard rumors that one can actually buy a nursing diploma out there without going through the whole nine yards . That is very sad.... I can understand their need to work abroad but just think of the quality of care they are giving. It is not safe for them or even with their patients. How can they possibly give good nursing care if they are not equipped with the adequate skills and knowledge ? I don't really believe on those fast track courses offered...

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by valkyries28

That is very bad! Any BS degree even it is not within the medical field?? So let's say I am an accountant, I could just take a 1 year course of nursing and be done with it???

Yes, provided you also have the required sciences and other nursing prereqs complete. (chem, anatomy /physiology, nutrition, micro certain psych classes etc.) If you have those done already and a BS in anything you can go into an accelerated BSN program in some schools.

[DZcarrie]

ok....


come one, come all to the US! that's what we're here for! it is the Land of Opportunity, right? we need nurses, we need doctors. if you're good at either one.....or both...even better! these people are working, right? they are contributing to society.

now....if it is different in the phillipines, let me know. here in the US, to be a doctor you need 4 years of undergrad. 4 years of med school. and then the specified number of years as a resident depending on your specialty.


so, if someone has already been through about 10 years or more of medical training and wants to go back for another year to learn how to do nursing....i think that's ok.

if they're lazy and don't do work....that's not a doctor to nurse problem. that's a too-lazy-to-work problem...you can find lots of people like that EVERYWHERE!

[Rose56]

In the Philippines, the track for medicine is the same as here in the US- there's 4 years of undergraduate work, which is their pre med and then there is 4 years of medical school. There is a year of internship and then there is the number of years for the residency, depending on the specialty. It is very similar to the programs we have here in the US.

I do agree with you that the US being the Land of Opportunity, anyone should be given the chance to contribute productively to society. I was one of those nurses recruited from the Philippines in the late 70s. There was a severe shortage of nurses in New York at the time, so the director of nurses herself came to interview prospective employees (RNs). I am proud to say that in my group, (there was a total of 36), we were all experienced, BSN educated and very motivated workers. The hospital must have been very satisifed with our job performance, because they continue to recruit Filipino nurses to this day. The only difference now, is they do the recruitment thru an agency. I hear it is more cost effective, Don't ask me how.

By the way, speaking of contributing to society- we paid taxes from day one.

Originally Posted by DZcarrie

ok....


come one, come all to the US! that's what we're here for! it is the Land of Opportunity, right? we need nurses, we need doctors. if you're good at either one.....or both...even better! these people are working, right? they are contributing to society.

now....if it is different in the phillipines, let me know. here in the US, to be a doctor you need 4 years of undergrad. 4 years of med school. and then the specified number of years as a resident depending on your specialty.


so, if someone has already been through about 10 years or more of medical training and wants to go back for another year to learn how to do nursing....i think that's ok.

if they're lazy and don't do work....that's not a doctor to nurse problem. that's a too-lazy-to-work problem...you can find lots of people like that EVERYWHERE!

[lossforimagination]

I had a BS in an unrelated field and looked into going for a BSN. It simply isn't true that you can earn a BSN in one year with a BS in a different field. You still have to have all the required pre reqs and nursing courses. However, most or all of the general study requirements are already met.

Some schools do offer testing out of nursing courses (such as Regents) for people who already work in the medical field as a LPN, EMS or something like that. I don't recommend that route because they truly do love to flunk you on the clinical evaluation so you will try it again....I would even say it's a real raquet for them when you pay $1500. or so for the eval. plus tuition and fees.

Originally Posted by valkyries28

That is very bad! Any BS degree even it is not within the medical field?? So let's say I am an accountant, I could just take a 1 year course of nursing and be done with it??? How about clinicals, are they completing the required number of hours per area ?? I don't think you can finish all of them within a year?? I heard rumors that one can actually buy a nursing diploma out there without going through the whole nine yards . That is very sad.... I can understand their need to work abroad but just think of the quality of care they are giving. It is not safe for them or even with their patients. How can they possibly give good nursing care if they are not equipped with the adequate skills and knowledge ? I don't really believe on those fast track courses offered...

[lossforimagination]

It's unrealistic to expect pay of $30-50/hour working as a nurse in the US. It's true that agency and travel nurses may earn close to that, but they may or may not have work or get any benefits. Most hospital RNs here earn somewhere between $18 - 25/ hour with benefits. They may be paid $30/hr without benefits; but group benefits are a good thing to have because health insurance is very, very expensive. In the US, about 50 million people have no health insurance because it is unaffordable. And of course, the cost of health care is astonishing, you can't afford to be without insurance. Also, housing can be very expensive in some places, especially California. The cost of living can be very high. US nurses are certainly not wealthy or even considered well paid. I think most of us consider ourselves marginally paid and just getting by in finances.

Originally Posted by Pasisay

here in philppines, in my school there are 10 dotors enrolle in nursing and they will graduate this month of october, they said they enrolle nursing because they want to go in USA, because they said if they can work in US there salary for one month will be 5,000 to 10,000$ a month than if they will work here in philippines as doctor but there salary for one month is just 20,000 pesos..is that true that they will pay to nurse 30-50$ per hour?
and next year 2005 i will go to USA in Oregon, i am thinking if i should take a local board exam first here in philippines before i will go to USA and i will just take Enclex exam when i get there in Oregon ...but what will happen if i will not take local board exam in here and i will take the enclex in USA?, you think they will let me take the enclex in US? pls tell me..

[Sanchai]

Hi everyone!
Hope you just give these doctors a chance..
Majority of them are humble, hard-working, and efficient...

Good day to everyone!!!