Foreign Educated Nurse (FEN) and their role in American healthcare.

World International

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Hi,

I know for several years the Foreign Educated Nurse was a means for aiding the nursing shortage in the US. I realize that there are arguments and ethical issues on both sides of this topic; however that is not my aim. I am simply curious to know if there is still a nursing shortage due to the economic recession. I would guess it would be a safe bet that more nurses are choosing to stay put rather than venture out in the murky waters of economic uncertainity. As you can probably guess, I am not a nurse. I have just heard for years how there is an extreme shortage of nurses in the US and how many hospitals rely upon nurse recruitment outside the borders of the USA. namely the Phillipines and India. Is this the case today in 2010? I have also read articles that tell of recent nursing school graduates having a difficult time finding a job. Certain employment perks are gone and it is now nearly impossible to find a nursing job? What is the real story? Do hospitals still actively recruit the foreign educated nurse? Or has this business module become extinct due to the economic recession? Please, if you have experience in this area, please let me know.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Home Care.

Take a look at the International Nursing forum, you'll find most of your answers there.

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Read over the International Forum, cliff notes version, the US has retrogression and no hospital can hire FEN legally without waiting many years. FEN who have legal working status in the USA and enter the job market as a new grad are finding it difficult to find positions similar to the US educated nurses . FEN with legal status don't have the networking connections that US educated nurses have

Bigger picture, the US Healthcare is in turmoil. No long term plans have been addressed, assumptions on the nursing shortage have proved false ( that many nurses are going to retire). In states like MA which has universal health the open nursing positions are down. No one can accurately predict what the need for nurses will be.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

The overall global economy is changing. It is better (in my opinion) to train for a job that is available in your country versus counting on a job in the US.

The US has such a recession that the unemployment rates are the highest in 30 years. We can not employ our own citizens so it makes no sense to import nurses. The hospitals are cutting staff not increasing it.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Moved to our international forum...check the posts here. Average wait time to come to US for those with PRIOR job offer is 3-5 years due to regression and volume of FEN desiring to work here. With current recession, US grads in major US cities are taking 1+ years to find a position as employers cutting expense hiring and orientaion of new grads choosing experienced RN.

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Welcome to allnurses.com Check out the individual states forums and you will see how many nurses are struggling to find work. New and experience nurses are having issues due to our current economic situation. If you're considering nursing (and you're from outside the US) and want to come to the US in order to practice your best bet is to have a plan B and go with that as the US isn't the place to come to at the moment.

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The real story is that the global recession has created tighter budgets and fewer job opportunities for nurses. Many hospitals have not used recruiters for a number of years. Countries that count on exporting nurses, need to take a close look at the reduced global job prospects and help their grads to make alternative plans. It is very disheartening to know that the majority will end up unemployed or underemployed.

regards

dishes

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No there is no longer a shortage at present. And it's true that even local new grads are finding it hard to land good jobs.

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Specializes in ED.

Its true, dont count as a foreign RN at the moment. With the increased pooling of new US trained grads here and more laid off workers getting into nursing school and graduating. It looks very grim for foreign nurses right now

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