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| No. 10 | 
Mar 11, 2008, 03:46 PM
 Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by pinoy_guy  I'm not a teamplayer because they all take coffee breaks 2 to 3 times a day--and I don't have time for coffee when I'm checking my patient and the MARs; when my patient poops, I have to get help from another coworker, and they would rather enjoy their coffee than deal with poop...thus I'm "not a team player" for forcing them to deal with poop. (when I ask for help in turning patients to clean them up, they reply, "I'll help you when I get back. I'll just get coffee, OK?" when I point out that lying on poop is uncomfortable, they reply, "hey, nobody dies from lying on sh*t. relax!" I wonder how long their patients lie on sh*t while they enjoy their coffee and breakfast and snacks.)
Same here, I usually don't take my 15 minutes break especially if I have a full load. I rather spend it by completing my charts and I really  hate it when we are busy and people can still find time to go on a coffee break and leave you with all the work. Sometimes, I would do the work of the unit secretary and the CNAs so that my patients can get their newly ordered medicines right away or have their butt clean.
Inspite of this, I still  love my work but there are days that I think isn't not my day and I wished I called in sick..  LOL
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Mar 11, 2008, 07:37 PM
Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by Suesquatch There is sometimes a bit of resentment towards immigrants because they often are willing to work for less pay and under more difficult conditions because, let's face it, being poor in America is being rich in the Phillipines.
Ok...you kinda answered my question after I started to compose my post, but before I got to post it; so if I understand, it is your opinion (and the opinion of others you work/talk with) that foreign born nurses do indeed accept more for less.
I assume the resentment you refer to (and I'm not saying you hold such resentment, just acknowledging your comment) is based on American nurses feeling foreign born nurses are a threat to their job security and their income? So are units with foreign born nurses often high tension in your opinion (and the opinion of others who'd be so kind to respond to my inquiry)? Do foreign born nurses get viewed as pushy (as one poster implied)?
I only ask because I have only worked with 1 foreign born nurse and he was a great colleague and valued teammate and in no way did anyone on our unit get a sense that he was a perfectionist.
| | No. 12 |
Mar 11, 2008, 10:37 PM
Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America
I am beginning to love my nursing career. This is going to be my first month as a nurse. In the hospital where I work in, you may be dealing with several types of cases and clients just in one unit. They are in private rooms though. In one shift I may encounter a neonate in distress, a mom in labor watch, a dad in for a broken jaw and a kid with Pott's.
I think this setting makes me learn more about different approaches on how to deal with clients with different problems. I may decide to go to a more specialized area soon.
While my "American Dream" is far from being a reality, I will take time to learn more skills and acquire knowledge from my experience on the floor.
If I'd be so unlucky not to be able to go to America, I'd be glad to serve the impoverished Filipinos. My healing hands are enough if they can't afford more sophisticated gadgets, medicines etc... After all, nursing is caring. That's what matters most.
| | No. 13 |
Mar 12, 2008, 04:12 PM
Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by psychrn03 I assume the resentment you refer to (and I'm not saying you hold such resentment, just acknowledging your comment) is based on American nurses feeling foreign born nurses are a threat to their job security and their income? So are units with foreign born nurses often high tension in your opinion (and the opinion of others who'd be so kind to respond to my inquiry)? Do foreign born nurses get viewed as pushy (as one poster implied)?
I am only basing my comments on what I have read here as I live (now) in an incredibly homogeneous small town environment in which all of the white people here are related to all of the other white people here and the several immigrant non-white families (and I do mean several) are often viewed with suspicion.
I spent the first 51 years on my life in NYC, where I was very accustomed to working with foreign nationals and naturalized citizens, and I miss it. I miss the groups who spoke Tagalog, and picking up Russian from some friends, and Spanish from others.
I have read, on this site, some very hateful comments about Phillipino nurses just wanting to "take" from us without contributing anything and then leaving. Well, I find that mindset bizarre. First of all, they are giving us themselves, and their skill and expertise. Secondly, I know that my first generation relatives sent money "back home," as did those of every group fortunate enough to get here.
But I have read some very jingoistic and anti-immigrant-nurse stuff on this site and it saddens me. Again, we turn against one another instead of the corporate greed and ridiculous medical decisions made in this nation. Rather than pull together we snipe at one another. Sort of like the nursing floors I've worked on.
| | No. 15 |
Mar 12, 2008, 07:21 PM
Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by Suesquatch I hope that I didn't offend you, because that was the opposite of my intenation. no offense taken. Originally Posted by Rep there are days that I think isn't not my day and I wished I called in sick.. believe me, there are days when I wish I called in sick too. like last week, when I was assigned the patient with the C diff...and she was going on the bed every hour. I almost went home sick, to see who among them would be taking the patient, as it's becoming obvious they always fight over who gets the easy patients. they were smugly pointing to each other on who should help me clean up. I wanted to see them fight over who'll take over the care of the 400-pounder with loose stools. Originally Posted by oneproudigorot If I'd be so unlucky not to be able to go to America, I'd be glad to serve the impoverished Filipinos. I wish you success in your dreams. | | No. 16 |
Mar 12, 2008, 07:55 PM
Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by oneproudigorot I am beginning to love my nursing career. This is going to be my first month as a nurse. In the hospital where I work in, you may be dealing with several types of cases and clients just in one unit. They are in private rooms though. In one shift I may encounter a neonate in distress, a mom in labor watch, a dad in for a broken jaw and a kid with Pott's.
I think this setting makes me learn more about different approaches on how to deal with clients with different problems. I may decide to go to a more specialized area soon.
While my "American Dream" is far from being a reality, I will take time to learn more skills and acquire knowledge from my experience on the floor.
If I'd be so unlucky not to be able to go to America, I'd be glad to serve the impoverished Filipinos. My healing hands are enough if they can't afford more sophisticated gadgets, medicines etc... After all, nursing is caring. That's what matters most.
.................................................. .................................................. .................................
I remember when I was a student nurse in the 1970's (yeah, I'm kinda old) I got praised from my clinical instructors for being able to "improvise" when supplies or equipments we read in our textbooks (by American authors) were not available in the Philippine hospitals we were assigned in our rotations. Generally speaking and understandably so, Philippine private hospitals were better equipped than publicly-funded Philippine hospitals. Imagine my surprise when I was already a (new) nurse here in the U.S. I tried to improvise the equipment that was not available in our unit and I was reprimanded (by an orderly!) for doing so. "Go down to the Central Supply Department and get it there!" the orderly told me. That was an eye-opener for this then newly-minted LVN. Supplies are available in American hospitals. I should have known!
When I became an RN and once I acquired enough experience I became a preceptor to newly hired RN's. And whenever I was a preceptor to new RN's from the Philippines I made sure that they transitioned quickly to American nursing, but I'm sure they will not forget what they learned in Philippine nursing schools and hospitals and they will be forever imaginative and able to improvise when the opportunity presents itself.
I did not get the chance to work as a licensed nurse in the Philippines because I left for the U.S. right after graduating from nursing school in 1978, therefore I am amazed at the diversity of the cases you are currently handling over there. You are acquiring a lot of experience over there. If and when you achieve your "American Dream" I think you will be quite ready when you get the chance to work as a nurse here in America. My advise to you is to take review classes for the NCLEX. Then do self review. When I was preparing for the NCLEX I studied my review books everyday for six months over and over and over. By the sixth month I already knew most of the the answers to the test questions just as I was starting to read the first few words of the test questions! Remember, I worked full time as an LVN at that time. I had the added pressure to pass the NCLEX because I needed the extra income of an RN to support my growing family. I thanked God that I was able to pass the NCLEX on my first try. I still thank God EVERYDAY for giving me the opportunity in life to work as an RN here in America.
I would advice you to try to pass the NCLEX (I'm pretty sure you will) while you are still in the Philippines. I imagine it would be less stressful for you as you don't have the added pressure and worries of paying your bills here. Yeah, bills will be following you here all the time and anywhere you go! But have the firing passion when you prepare for the NCLEX. Remember, i t is your future and no one else's. And the competition is more intense now more than ever.
I've read that there are now about 600,000 Filipinos enrolled in Philippine nursing schools at this time. This is mind boggling! I imagine most of these Filipino nursing students would rather come and work here in America than anywhere else. The working conditions and wages are better here than in other foreign countries. I met up with former classmates from my nursing school when I visited the Philippines in 2003. We had a "mini-reunion" that was attended by about 7-8 former classmates and their spouses. One former classmate who was visiting from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at that time told us that as a nursing supervisor there she was earning $1,000/ month or $12,000 per year if you do the math. This year, newly hired RN's in our busy acute care hospital located here in the San Francisco Bay Area are offered a starting salary of $85,000/year. After several years, with overtime and holiday pays registered nurses in our hospital earn well over $100,000/ year. Granted that the cost of living is very high here in the SF Bay Area, that salary is still quite enviable. If you are going to earn a living anyway then why not seek the place where you can earn the most. Remember, most of us will be supporting our own family here in America and our extended families in the Philippines.
Don't forget that you are a nurse first and foremost whose mission is to help, care for and sooth the suffering of your patients. That mission is a source of self pride and enviable indeed!
.................................................. ............................................
| | No. 17 |
Mar 13, 2008, 04:49 AM
Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by Daly City RN .................................................. .................................................. .................................
I remember when I was a student nurse in the 1970's (yeah, I'm kinda old) I got praised from my clinical instructors for being able to "improvise" when supplies or equipments we read in our textbooks (by American authors) were not available in the Philippine hospitals we were assigned in our rotations. Generally speaking and understandably so, Philippine private hospitals were better equipped than publicly-funded Philippine hospitals. Imagine my surprise when I was already a (new) nurse here in the U.S. I tried to improvise the equipment that was not available in our unit and I was reprimanded (by an orderly!) for doing so. "Go down to the Central Supply Department and get it there!" the orderly told me. That was an eye-opener for this then newly-minted LVN. Supplies are available in American hospitals. I should have known!
When I became an RN and once I acquired enough experience I became a preceptor to newly hired RN's. And whenever I was a preceptor to new RN's from the Philippines I made sure that they transitioned quickly to American nursing, but I'm sure they will not forget what they learned in Philippine nursing schools and hospitals and they will be forever imaginative and able to improvise when the opportunity presents itself.
I did not get the chance to work as a licensed nurse in the Philippines because I left for the U.S. right after graduating from nursing school in 1978, therefore I am amazed at the diversity of the cases you are currently handling over there. You are acquiring a lot of experience over there. If and when you achieve your "American Dream" I think you will be quite ready when you get the chance to work as a nurse here in America. My advise to you is to take review classes for the NCLEX. Then do self review. When I was preparing for the NCLEX I studied my review books everyday for six months over and over and over. By the sixth month I already knew most of the the answers to the test questions just as I was starting to read the first few words of the test questions! Remember, I worked full time as an LVN at that time. I had the added pressure to pass the NCLEX because I needed the extra income of an RN to support my growing family. I thanked God that I was able to pass the NCLEX on my first try. I still thank God EVERYDAY for giving me the opportunity in life to work as an RN here in America.
I would advice you to try to pass the NCLEX (I'm pretty sure you will) while you are still in the Philippines. I imagine it would be less stressful for you as you don't have the added pressure and worries of paying your bills here. Yeah, bills will be following you here all the time and anywhere you go! But have the firing passion when you prepare for the NCLEX. Remember, it is your future and no one else's. And the competition is more intense now more than ever.
I've read that there are now about 600,000 Filipinos enrolled in Philippine nursing schools at this time. This is mind boggling! I imagine most of these Filipino nursing students would rather come and work here in America than anywhere else. The working conditions and wages are better here than in other foreign countries. I met up with former classmates from my nursing school when I visited the Philippines in 2003. We had a "mini-reunion" that was attended by about 7-8 former classmates and their spouses. One former classmate who was visiting from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at that time told us that as a nursing supervisor there she was earning $1,000/ month or $12,000 per year if you do the math. This year, newly hired RN's in our busy acute care hospital located here in the San Francisco Bay Area are offered a starting salary of $85,000/year. After several years, with overtime and holiday pays registered nurses in our hospital earn well over $100,000/ year. Granted that the cost of living is very high here in the SF Bay Area, that salary is still quite enviable. If you are going to earn a living anyway then why not seek the place where you can earn the most. Remember, most of us will be supporting our own family here in America and our extended families in the Philippines.
Don't forget that you are a nurse first and foremost whose mission is to help, care for and sooth the suffering of your patients. That mission is a source of self pride and enviable indeed!
.................................................. ............................................
Thanks for inspiring me. I think that from the very beginning God has been leading to become a nurse it's just that I was young and had several opportunities before and I took a path that is quite related to nursing. I am a medical technologist here in the Philippines
After I passed my licensure exam for medical technologists, I planned to pursue a degree in Medicine but several things happened in my life that led me to reconsider my options.
I am now a fully pledged nurse. I've just finished a month of orientation in the same hospital where I worked as a medical technologist.
I was blessed to have passed my CGFNS, NCLEX and IELTS exams last year. I believe that was all part of God's plan for me.
I am very lucky to be working in a hospital that tries to set its standards higher. I like it here because I handle several groups of clients with varied problems. I think that's a very good start. I plan to go the ICU or ER after several months of nursing experience.
| | No. 18 |
Mar 13, 2008, 06:09 AM
 Re: Attention: Philippines nurses - there is no nursing shortgae in America Originally Posted by Suesquatch Nurses are needed in the US, my Pinay friends.
I no longer work the floor. To those who are willing to, have at it!
There is sometimes a bit of resentment towards immigrants because they often are willing to work for less pay and under more difficult conditions because, let's face it, being poor in America is being rich in the Phillipines.
Follow your dreams. This *IS* a wonderful nation, and we have room for more.
As to the nonsense about "taking what you can get here and then deserting us," I know many Americans who work and live abroad for many reasons. I would be a boring, small world indeed if we only ever experienced our own villages. I live in a village of 2,500 people and some of them really should visit another place. 
And if you finally get here, I, for one, say, "Welcome! And good luck." 
whoever you are, thanks for those encouraging words... ;-)
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