How come a foreign nurse can find a job but American nurses can't?

[misterno]

I went to this hospital in Boston to see a friend of mine who just had a baby. In the room, there were 2 nurses talking and they had the tag on them that indicated that they were RNs.

They had a heavy accent and probably from Africa, they were speaking French between them for some reason. So my friend was out for a test and I was sitting in this chair in the room, I asked them where they were from and how long they have been in the states, etc.

I swear to god, I was not able to understand their responses. I mean, one of them have been in the US for over 10 years and I had to ask 3 times to understand what she was saying.

She saw me having hard time understanding, she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and wrote down what she meant. This is what she wrote (remember she is a RN)

Piliiz tel your frenid to full the form after she cames

Now, I can understand having an accent, but I mean how do these people pass NCLEX with this level of English?

Maybe NCLEX used to be much easier 10 years ago?

How does the US Govt allow all these foreign workers when thousands of nurses are unemployed? Or maybe there is abig nurse shortage that we can not see with our eyese? I am reading in other forums that lot of American nurses are working for less than $20/hr.

I would like to hear your comments.

[dorisc1981]

Lol, don't feed the troll. Some people are here to get their frustations out targeting different posts. Please I completely understand what you are saying. How can some people be RN's when they cant even write a proper sentence. I feel the same way about people that you can't even understand. it all comes down for them on passing the requirements and they did some how. Don't let the accent fool you. they be pulling awesome grades on their exam. It's hard to explain. I know people that can't even email and are excellent nurses. I guess their work ethic is much stronger than some or they know somebody that knows somebody and boom! got the job. Either was what can we do. Some work for cheap, while we demand more.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

From various sources I heard that NCLEX exam used to be very easy and over the years it became very hard. Either there was too much demand or I don't know.

I once had a foreign nurse friend who told me that back in 2005 she started working in a hospital after passing not the NCLEX but the other one uum, AICPA or something like that. Back in 2005 per her story, the nursing shortage was so bad that they let her started working without passing TOEFL. It took her another several months to pass TOEFL.

Isn't this unbelievable?

For not being a nurse...you are very well informed about nursing issues......commendable.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

There are those that have been around long enough, to write questions, review questions or monitor the NCLEX.

As the OP has his mind made up based on innuendo and hearsay and not interested facts, I am stepping our. Anyone have butter for the popcorn?

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

We are a melting pot society and I work with people from all over. It makes life interesting. BTW if the nurse has been here for 10 years, more than likely she is an American citizen. Just my

[Florence NightinFAIL, BSN, RN]

A little off topic but I have been a citizen for over 18 years and there is not a week that goes by that people don't ask me "where are you from, how long are you here, you speak good english....?" and when I say 18 years they are ALWAYS shocked/surprised. However, my friend who is blonde/blue eyes Swede is NEVER asked that question. Although she is still a landed immigrant and has been in the country for less than 2 years, she is considered "Canadian".

Now if you only had a problem with her spelling - OK. We have tons of threads here, if you search back, that complain about the state of spelling/grammar in charting/documentation and poorly speaking nurses (that the grammar police would attest to) in NORTH AMERICA.

She's been 10 years in the country - but has an accent and spells poorly, so she's automatically non-American? Give me a break.

And to ask the nurses that protest people coming over here and working (non-Citizens) - I bet some of you have considered travel nursing or going aboard for a few years - what gives YOU the right to work in another country and not others?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Yes, some popcorn is necessary. But, let me clarify my points: I have no problem with foreign nurses who independently have come here on their own, become citizens and interviewed for a job along side US educated nurses, the old fashioned way. I have a huge problem with arranging for the import, sight unseen, of nurses for automatic placement.

And, Carol, I thought the NCLEX was easy as it's about knowing how to play the NCLEX game, not about clinical knowlege so much. Now back in the day, I've heard it was a hard 3 day long written ordeal.

[Florence NightinFAIL, BSN, RN]

Yes, some popcorn is necessary. But, let me clarify my points: I have no problem with foreign nurses who independently have come here on their own, become citizens and interviewed for a job along side US educated nurses, the old fashioned way. I have a huge problem with arranging for the import, sight unseen, of nurses for automatic placement.

I bolded the part that I agree with completely. However, how did the OP know which case it was? I would love to have her talent for mind-reading!

[mazy]

I've looked at those links and I agree with the frustration that the HRSA is perpetuating this idea of a nursing shortage and is pressuring the government to extend visas to foreign nurses. I am frustrated by that as well as it does nothing to make patient care better and feeds all those for-profit healthcare corporations that are just out to pull in maximum revenues with minimum expense.

By continuing to cling to the myth of the nursing shortage and importing foreign nurses we allow the system to continue operating in a way that is exploitative of and damaging to all nurses and patients.

So I completely agree with that point. However, blaming foreign nurses for the problem ignores the level of corruption that exists within the healthcare system itself that allows these types of models of healthcare to exist. We're going to need to do a lot more than just get rid of foreign nurses to fix the problem. That's a very simplistic way of looking at a very complex problem.

And yes, fodder for trolls.

I would rather address the real issues of corporate corruption that make our jobs so difficult than to just say, oh let's do away with the foreign nurses because they're taking away our jobs.

At any rate, since I belong to AFT I was kind of surprised to hear that they were also promoting that viewpoint, because I am definitely not on board with that. But they're not.

What they are saying is that we need to improve conditions for potential and working nurses in this country by addressing how nurses are educated -- in this country -- treated, and exploited by the current, extremely flawed system.

Their resolution states:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers continue to advocate for innovative and creative ways to expand the number of students who can receive the education necessary to join the healthcare workforce; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers call on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to significantly increase reimbursement rates to those hospitals willing to offer clinical sites for nurse training; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers continue to advocate for legislation, regulation and bargaining language to limit workloads, ban mandatory overtime and address the other conditions that are driving health professionals from direct care; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers consider working with others to convene a task force to develop a resource center on changes in workplace policies, procedures and contract language that might enhance retention of veteran workers.

http://www.aft.org/about/resolution_detail.cfm?articleid=1468

From this I don't see any evidence that they are lobbying to import foreign nurses, rather they want to improve conditions for working nurses. Also, they are fighting to enhance educational resources for potential and working nurses in this country so that they can get degrees and jobs in the future. Nowhere do they say that they see a soloution to this "shortage" as being the importation of foreign nurses.

The AFT is placing the blame for this pretty squarely on the way the healthcare system/government, and healthcare corporations work hand in hand to exploit nurses, which forces good nurses out of the profession and drives up the demand for foreign nurses who will accept whatever nasty working and pay conditions the system wants to dole out.

It sucks for those nurses, it sucks for us.

[Katie5]

Excuse me but

Are you implying that I am lying?

.

No, she did not imply you were lying- she CALLED you a liar.

PS- Don't blame the messenger;)

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I have worked with many nurses from the Phillipines, male and female at my level 3 trauma center that has nonstop admits day and night. I have found that to a T they are extremely hard workers, do not complain/gossip, and are always willing to help a coworker, usually offering help before being asked, in other words, a dream to work with. If only that were true of my fellow Americans, just sayin...We need to get over our sense of entitlement and remember that most of us have ties to the immigrants that helped build, fought for, and died for this country.

Most if not all of us are immigrants in one way shape or form. I am not knocking imported nurses and yes, they work hard....for half the pay. How is it prudent to approve 20,000 more VISAS to bring more nurses here when nurses here can't find jobs so now our jobs are for the lowest bidder? How is that going to improve the economy? or help anyone....

Allowing more people on an already sinking ship will seal it's fate....it will sink. In the begining of this thread I asked....Union or non union facility.......At the union facility the nurses all make the same and outside contract agencies and temporary workers are not allowed unless approved by the Union. If those french speaking nurses are making the same as everybody else then let them work. If however they are paid temporary and/or agency nurses and are lower paid undermining and low balling the market preventing anynurse from getting a fair market job....then I object wholeheartedly!

[MissingMyErica]

I sincerely understand that is very hard for you to see.

1. Because they have an accent they are not considered American.

2. Because they are black with an accent they are assumed to be from Africa.

3. Because they have an accent, they are unable to speak Standard English.

4. Because they are black, with an accent and knowledge of a second language, they are not American. Therefore they do not deserve their job. The white girl who is unable to speak a second language and says she is Amercan should have gotten the job instead. Even though she didnt apply for it.

I suppose the next step is to demand a birth certificate.

Thank you thank you thank you!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Yes, some popcorn is necessary. But, let me clarify my points: I have no problem with foreign nurses who independently have come here on their own, become citizens and interviewed for a job along side US educated nurses, the old fashioned way. I have a huge problem with arranging for the import, sight unseen, of nurses for automatic placement.

And, Carol, I thought the NCLEX was easy as it's about knowing how to play the NCLEX game, not about clinical knowlege so much. Now back in the day, I've heard it was a hard 3 day long written ordeal.

Back in the day......Nursing state boards were held in huge auditoriums.......4 to 5 thousand people sitting everyother seat being watched by "preceptors" who could be any one hired for the day for $50.00 bucks. we took a total of four tests over 3 days 8 hours each day.....if you had to pee they came and watched....yes watched with the door open. SWe were let in one at a time being checked against our ID"s to allow us in....I must share IT REALLY @(*^!) THE BIG ONE!