Letting off Steam, hope my extinguisher is ready

Nurses General Nursing

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OK, this is just my personal rant for the day (maybe week, we'll see) and even though I am probably going to come across as looking petty/catty, I'm going to let it fly anyway. Even if noone is willing to agree with me here, I think SOME nurses out there, if not on this forum may nod their heads in agreement.

I am an RN, 18 mos out of school. I am gainfully employed as an RN, and for that I am grateful, please do not think otherwise. It is NOT in my "dream" area of nursing, but with the employment opportunities as they are, I am happy to have it.

I also have stayed, in a limited schedule, the position in healthcare that I have done for the previous 24 years. It is in this position that I had the duty of making several phone calls today, to a variety of entities. The first FOUR calls that I made today, after pushing 9 different prompts, all got me to various phone centers in the Philipines. All US companies that have outsourced jobs that were once done in the States to laborers in the Philapines. And then, as I bop around AN, I see post after post started by nurses who have been educated in the Philipines wanting to know the US state that will license them the fastest once they have failed the NCLEX 3 times in their first State of choice, or which ones will overlook that they have not been educated to the standard that most US nurses are. This frustrates the bejeebers out of me that not only are American jobs being sent overseas, overseas nurses are trying desperately to fill the nursing jobs here that so many of us would like to fill.

Yes, I realize that this makes me the meanie in the sandbox and that is certainly anyone's right to think that. But it is my right to feel aggravated as heck that this goes on and if I'm the only one bothered by it, so be it, but somehow I doubt that I am.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B

9 Articles; 4,800 Posts

It is frightening that so many people here are unemployed, yet, outscoring continues and continues. Lets take care of our own before taking care of other's own. The US has a reputation as being the home of the rich and famous. We are well regarded as where to make all sorts of cash. Other countries have caught on to this. I really, really try to buy American, support companies that hire American, as I feel like as paltry as my contribution may be, if I can offer a hand to a family here in the US who needs it, I should and do.

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I will not talk to an out-sourced employee. I request that my call be routed BACK to the US, where my call originated from. By law, if you ask where the employee is physically located, they must tell you. I will always ask "are you in the US?". Most times I get "no Ma'am" and they move right along. I will interrupt and ask where specifically they are.

get used to it unless the manority agrees to stat paying more alot more for most services. This is the very essence of capitalism and globalism. There isn't any (economically better off )going back now. Our country depends on businesses that profit due to off shore factories in countries with less labor and environmental regulations. and if you want deregulation here, then a mostly lower class is to be expected. cant have it both ways. no idea why there are visas(are they?) granted to nurses when there seem to be an abundance of nurses here.

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Oh, I know its not going away, like it or not. BUT, I can score myself my own little victory (in my head at least, LOL), by refusing to conduct my business with someone who's sitting in the Philipines (or India or anywhere other than US soil)

get used to it unless the manority agrees to stat paying more alot more for most services. This is the very essence of capitalism and globalism. There isn't any (economically better off )going back now. Our country depends on businesses that profit due to off shore factories in countries with less labor and environmental regulations. and if you want deregulation here, then a mostly lower class is to be expected. cant have it both ways. no idea why there are visas(are they?) granted to nurses when there seem to be an abundance of nurses here.

netglow, ASN, RN

4,412 Posts

I agree with all you've said. I think we need to take care of home first before we take care of ANYBODY else.

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nursel56

7,078 Posts

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I'd suggest, if you haven't discovered it already, avoiding all threads/posts with the words "CA BON" in them. It's my small contribution to your overall peace of mind.

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

I don't know. I mean. It seems like most hospitals are past sponsoring foreign nurses in this economy. Which means that the only way that many of these nurses are here legally is because they have some sort of family ties to this country. You can't really just immigrate to the US because you want to. So many of these nurses probably have spouses (most likely) or intimate family in the US -- a reason other than the job to be here.

My own husband is Canadian. He works as an avionics engineer for a large company in town. He is, theoretically, taking a job from an American citizen. He's also my husband of five years. I imagine that this scenario is fairly common with many of the overseas RNs who want to find jobs here. It's not like they immigrated to the US specifically to take a job away from an American citizen.

echoRNC711, BSN

227 Posts

Specializes in cardiac CVRU/ICU/cardiac rehab/case management.

I understand your frustrations however this country was founded on emigrants. I am an emigrant and yes I am grateful. I have also given 20yrs of service back to this country and through hard work earned my right to be here. America welcomed me when there was a nursing shortage. No one here complained that I took care of Americans rather than care for the people of my homeland.. Emigrants ,not across the board .but certainly alot of us our very grateful to be here and willing to work a lot harder than the Americans alongside of us. I am still grateful for the opportunity to be here and work as a nurse. I am wondering how many American nurse's would say the same after that many yrs.If this site is a reflection I'd say,not many. Often emigrants have a stronger desire to succeed because it's survival, You have to make it.No one is coming to save you so you better find a way to make it work . (I came here in 21yrs to NYC knowing no one with $200 in my pocket.Thankfully for me I thought I was rich! )

So who would you hire.....the person happy for a job,feels driven to succeed and 20yrs later can still say "Thank you for the privilege I am happy to serve" . or someone who who is so privileged that after 6 mths of it feeling''difficult ' thinks maybe I wil quit.

And before anyone bites me I am not suggesting that no emigrants complain or all American nurse's are afraid of hard work. Jobs should definitely go to the most qualified ,the most willing and the ones who offer the greatest promise .If you ask any pt which nurse do they want I am confident they will not ask our origin but say simply "I want the best ". And so it should be!

uRNmyway, ASN, RN

1,080 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg.

Well, I get what you are saying, even while I am here on a work status from Canada. But like someone has said, most employers do not want to sponsor anymore. The credentialing process was long, it was expensive, it was complicated. And this was coming from a country where NAFTA is there to help, a country with a good education system, comparable to the US one. I passed nursing school with good grades, have had my nursing licence since 2007, then passed the NCLEX on my first try.

I have had to take a job with conditions, pay, and benefits much less than expected or hoped for. But I needed to come because my fiance is from here and had to be here for personal reasons.

I guess what I am trying to say is that not all foreign nurses are in the US after failing multiple times, looking for the easiest route, or being sponsored for work for jobs stolen from American nurses. And I am more scared than ever with the current political situations about my nursing future here in the US when I need to be here to be with my fiance.

tokebi

1 Article; 404 Posts

Specializes in Hem/Onc/BMT.

While I understand the feeling, I wonder if you aren't taking it out on a wrong target. You're angry that jobs are outsourced and have to talk to people in foreign countries. Instead of taking out on those people who are only doing their job, why not call up the responsible person of the company who made the decision to outsource the job and hired those people overseas? Instead of getting riled up about filipino nurses trying to get jobs in US, why not complain to the hospitals/facilities that sponsor them? I think whether it's someone answering calls from India or a nurse in Philippines trying to get a job in US, they're just as desperate as anyone to make a living. They're not intentionally taking away jobs to make someone else miserable. The blame lies somewhere else, not them.

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

As its been pointed out, hospital sponsership is largely a thing of the past, so calling facilities and complaining (your words) to them would be mostly pointless. And I do make it a point to tell the representative, once I am routed back to US soil, what my thoughts are on outsourcing. I am one small voice in this matter, I will not move mountains!

Again, it was just a vent, "riled up" is a little more emotion that I have invested in the topic. My point is that desparation in securing a job begins here at home, and when I see foreign trained RN candidates looking for the state that will license them the fastest and easiest, it gets slightly irritating, that's all =)

While I understand the feeling, I wonder if you aren't taking it out on a wrong target. You're angry that jobs are outsourced and have to talk to people in foreign countries. Instead of taking out on those people who are only doing their job, why not call up the responsible person of the company who made the decision to outsource the job and hired those people overseas? Instead of getting riled up about filipino nurses trying to get jobs in US, why not complain to the hospitals/facilities that sponsor them? I think whether it's someone answering calls from India or a nurse in Philippines trying to get a job in US, they're just as desperate as anyone to make a living. They're not intentionally taking away jobs to make someone else miserable. The blame lies somewhere else, not them.
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