Foreign Nurses

crnasomeday · May 31, 2001

The largest and most technically advanced hospital in this area recently brought over lots of nurses from the Phillipines (sp?). These nurses are being housed by the hospital and paid far less (from what I understand) than nurses from this country are being paid, but they are willing to work for that price. I'm not happy about it...most people I know in the nursing feild aren't happy about it...But if there aren't enough nurses here, what can we do? Someone has to care for the people who need us right?

fiestynurse · May 31, 2001

These foreign nurses graduate from nursing programs and have to pass the boards, just like us. (The pass rate is about 50% because of the English as a second language problem.) The foreign nurses that do become licensed, become quickly acclimated and demand the same pay and rights that we have. They are not stupid! I have worked with many excellent nurses from England, Ireland, Africa, Phillipines, China, Germany, and Canada. They uphold the same standards of care that we do. I am more than happy that they want to work along side us. And if it helps the nursing shortage, then Great! And it may come as a big surprise to us Americans, but not everyone is dying to leave their families and everything they know, to live in the United States. Most are perfectly happy where they are!

[ May 31, 2001: Message edited by: feistynurse ]

-jt · May 31, 2001

They cant be paid less than you. Thats been the rule since the first wave of foreign nurses years ago when the ANA made sure they couldnt be brought in as slave labor & undersut our bargaining contracts. If they are not being compensated exactly as you are, they can notify the INS.

Janet Barclay · May 31, 2001

Hi Robin,

Don't worry about the job market, the Canadian Nurses Association has estimated that we will not hit the peak of the shortage yet for another three or four years- I'm sure things are not so different in the US.

Hey feisty, glad you like us Canucks . Things are not so different here except for the dog teams of course :)

rncountry · May 31, 2001

In 1998 a nursing home in Kansas I believe it was, was taken to court for having Filipino nurses working for them at wages below what they were paying other nurses, as well as having these nurses work in laundry, and other non-nursing areas. It was not until a Filipino nurse was willing to go to an attorney that it was dealt with. Also there was a case I think in '98 as well, where a large number of Filipino nurses were actually smuggled into the country, they paid exorbinant fees to the agency and were scattered into 35 different states. This was caught because of the large number of visas coming from one person was noted. The main person behind it was someone named Billy Jewell, a private nursing home owner who had several facilities in Texas and Oklahoma. I am not opposed to foreign nurses in the least, just opposed if they are being treated poorly and are taking wages below the norm.