Is there really a job waiting for us Filipino nurses in the US?

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This issue has haunted me ever since I graduated last year. I just passed my NLE this year, took and just passed my IELTS two weeks ago and about to take my NCLEX exam this September. Passing the exam is really no big deal for me as should anyone who has plans of taking the exam as long as you put your mind to it. After passing all the exams and processing for Visa Screening, what now? Can we really be employed by American employers considering the issues US faces with its own nursing graduates? I already have a US tourist visa but that's just it. I don't have any experience whatsoever. I want to know if there are people out there who have the same issue as mine. I've spent soooo much time and money preparing for all these exams. I don't want to waste more of my time, fantasizing about working in the US and ending up not getting hired at all. I don't want to be pessimistic but I don't want to be too optimistic either and end up getting disappointed and depressed about the whole matter. Can anyone here offer me a dose of reality please? I badly need one! Thanks!

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I'd have to agree with NurseCubanita's remark. I'm sure the US economy will improve eventually but I doubt that it will ever be the same as it was 8 or 10 years ago. Despite the harshness of glioblastoma's remark (...USA is becoming poorer and poorer by the second. the american dream is a load of crap. forget about it), there is some partial truths to that statement. Americans will never live the same as we did even after we have an economic recovery, at least not for a long time. The excesses of the past will be impractical. The endless buying and ending up in debt will not be the norm. Besides, people are still lining up for jobs here and if jobs become as abundant as they were, there's enough qualified applicants locally who can fill the void. I, however, think the American dream as a concept, will live on forever. There is no one definition of the so called American dream because it is whatever you make it to be. I love the US and it's my country now. I am not rich or famous but I'm living my American dream.

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I'd have to agree with NurseCubanita's remark. I'm sure the US economy will improve eventually but I doubt that it will ever be the same as it was 8 or 10 years ago. Despite the harshness of glioblastoma's remark (...USA is becoming poorer and poorer by the second. the american dream is a load of crap. forget about it), there is some partial truths to that statement. Americans will never live the same as we did even after we have an economic recovery, at least not for a long time. The excesses of the past will be impractical. The endless buying and ending up in debt will not be the norm. Besides, people are still lining up for jobs here and if jobs become as abundant as they were, there's enough qualified applicants locally who can fill the void. I, however, think the American dream as a concept, will live on forever. There is no one definition of the so called American dream because it is whatever you make it to be. I love the US and it's my country now. I am not rich or famous but I'm living my American dream.

i agree with glioblastoma's comment. there's substance and truthfulness in it, although he said it pretty harshly

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did you really post this just so you can offend me? i am really honored that you went through all the trouble researching my activites here in allnurses.com. i feel glorious! thank you very much! :redbeathe

i'm with you!

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Specializes in PCU/Coronary Care Unit/ICU.

For the original poster, the answer is NO! Hope is NICE if you have deep pockets to get into for every passing day, week, month and year without a job. Being realistic and a pragmatist would help fill your belly, keep a roof over your head and clothes on your back , just to state the obvious. So, the answer is NO. There are no jobs for foreign educated nurses here in the States, not only from the Philippines, but from anywhere in the world. AND, please, for those that would be nitpicking, even, captious about my generalizations, give it a rest. Unemployment rates had never been higher these past few months. Let's give our fellow nurses from across the ocean a truthful picture of what's happening with the economy. True, it might be harsh, but a sugar coated pill would not work on this situation, during this worst of times.

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For the original poster, the answer is NO! Hope is NICE if you have deep pockets to get into for every passing day, week, month and year without a job. Being realistic and a pragmatist would help fill your belly, keep a roof over your head and clothes on your back , just to state the obvious. So, the answer is NO. There are no jobs for foreign educated nurses here in the States, not only from the Philippines, but from anywhere in the world. AND, please, for those that would be nitpicking, even, captious about my generalizations, give it a rest. Unemployment rates had never been higher these past few months. Let's give our fellow nurses from across the ocean a truthful picture of what's happening with the economy. True, it might be harsh, but a sugar coated pill would not work on this situation, during this worst of times.

I agree with your post, but we also must realize that these nurses were filled with fairy tale stories from other nurses from their home country about how easy it was for them to come and work here. They don't realize that things were different back then, and that things have drastically made a 180 degree change since then. They paint this pretty picture about how good it is to live in the US and how much money they are making. To me that is bragging. But what they don't tell them is:

1. How high the cost of living is (depending on the area)

2. How many have already lost their jobs, homes, & cars

3. Can barely make ends meet

4 Lost everything

5. Are up to their necks in debt & medical bills

Those are just to name a few. So life over here isn't always a bowl full of cherries. Coming to the US isn't always the answer. I know 80 nurses who just recently lost their jobs, and other hospitals who are also doing some trimming with their nursing staff. New grads here can't seem to find a job and those seasoned nurses are also having a hard time. There are few that have been successful, but those are few and far between. You have a better chance at finding a needle in a haystack than coming here and finding a job as a nurse. Time are bad here, and also opening up the borders even bigger would only make things worse for those who are already here. IMO, we need to fix within before we look abroad. I'm sorry but that's just how it is. Economic times are bad right now in the US. Good Luck

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thank you datspinoi2u and NurseCubanitaRN2b for this enlightenment. erase erase america from my choices!

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Specializes in PCU/Coronary Care Unit/ICU.
I agree with your post, but we also must realize that these nurses were filled with fairy tale stories from other nurses from their home country about how easy it was for them to come and work here. They don't realize that things were different back then, and that things have drastically made a 180 degree change since then. They paint this pretty picture about how good it is to live in the US and how much money they are making. To me that is bragging. But what they don't tell them is:

1. How high the cost of living is (depending on the area)

2. How many have already lost their jobs, homes, & cars

3. Can barely make ends meet

4 Lost everything

5. Are up to their necks in debt & medical bills

Those are just to name a few. So life over here isn't always a bowl full of cherries. Coming to the US isn't always the answer. I know 80 nurses who just recently lost their jobs, and other hospitals who are also doing some trimming with their nursing staff. New grads here can't seem to find a job and those seasoned nurses are also having a hard time. There are few that have been successful, but those are few and far between. You have a better chance at finding a needle in a haystack than coming here and finding a job as a nurse. Time are bad here, and also opening up the borders even bigger would only make things worse for those who are already here. IMO, we need to fix within before we look abroad. I'm sorry but that's just how it is. Economic times are bad right now in the US. Good Luck

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE PHILIPPINES? Or even, heard a filipino RN "bragging" to another filipino RN about how "easy it is" to migrate or, even, just work here in the USA? For a filipino nurse to qualify, he/she must pass 1.the local Philippine board, 2.CGFNS (usually) 3.IELTS/TOEFL/TSE and THEN be assessed by an American Board of Nursing for the NCLEX. AND that' just the scholastic sign of the coin. After all of that, one doesn't even have a whiff of a job, and with this economy, that's the only thing you can bring to the bank...a big fat NO.

I've been going home to the Philippines, since the early 90's. I haven't heard any "fairy tales" circulating about how life in the USA is a "bowl of cherries". I haven't heard any US based filipino nurse preaching to a nurse in the Philippines how "easy it is" for them to work in the USA. Especially now, everyone knows life is HARD. But why do filipinos still strive to move to ANYWHERE with a "greener pasture". Why leave familiar faces and landscapes, known taste and smell, language and behavior for a new land that is alien and ,sometimes, even cruel?

Same reason why Cubans jump ship and try to swim an ocean expanse. Or Mexicans taking chances on crossing borders. Or , historically, of Chinese and Vietnamese on boats crossing prodigious body of water to "sneak" in to grand 'ole USA.

For after everything is said and done, life here in the USA is still BETTER than home. The hope and dreams of a better life, for them and their families.

So, there are no "fairy tales", no loudspeaker on the streets telling people of how easy life is in the USA. The drive to migrate is essentially ingrained on a desire for improvement. Some may even say, of survival.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE PHILIPPINES? Or even, heard a filipino RN "bragging" to another filipino RN about how "easy it is" to migrate or, even, just work here in the USA? For a filipino nurse to qualify, he/she must pass 1.the local Philippine board, 2.CGFNS (usually) 3.IELTS/TOEFL/TSE and THEN be assessed by an American Board of Nursing for the NCLEX. AND that' just the scholastic sign of the coin. After all of that, one doesn't even have a whiff of a job, and with this economy, that's the only thing you can bring to the bank...a big fat NO.

I've been going home to the Philippines, since the early 90's. I haven't heard any "fairy tales" circulating about how life in the USA is a "bowl of cherries". I haven't heard any US based filipino nurse preaching to a nurse in the Philippines how "easy it is" for them to work in the USA. Especially now, everyone knows life is HARD. But why do filipinos still strive to move to ANYWHERE with a "greener pasture". Why leave familiar faces and landscapes, known taste and smell, language and behavior for a new land that is alien and ,sometimes, even cruel?

Same reason why Cubans jump ship and try to swim an ocean expanse. Or Mexicans taking chances on crossing borders. Or , historically, of Chinese and Vietnamese on boats crossing prodigious body of water to "sneak" in to grand 'ole USA.

For after everything is said and done, life here in the USA is still BETTER than home. The hope and dreams of a better life, for them and their families.

So, there are no "fairy tales", no loudspeaker on the streets telling people of how easy life is in the USA. The drive to migrate is essentially ingrained on a desire for improvement. Some may even say, of survival.

well said, I don't like it when people say things about a culture they have no idea about.

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Specializes in Neuro-Surgery, Med-Surg, Home Health.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I retired from a large trauma center here in the San Francisco Bay Area two years ago. Several years ago we were so short-staffed we were begging for RNs to come work for our hospital.

By 2008, our hospital (and other local hospitals as well) became picky when hiring new RNs because the shortage of RNs was ending . They had to have at least 1 year experience to be considered for hiring.

I just heard from a nurse friend of mine who applied for an RN job at my former employer and was told that they now prefer to hire RNs with at least FIVE YEARS experience!

Would I believe that story?

Yes! Hey, there are now so many RNs in the U.S.A., hospitals now have the luxury of hiring only the best and/or the most experienced RNs.

Sorry to say that this put the foreign nurse graduates at a great disadvantage. Some of the local hospitals here have stopped sponsoring foreign RNs altogether because there are so many U.S.-trained RNs applying for jobs.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
Some of the local hospitals here have stopped sponsoring foreign RNs altogether because there are so many U.S.-trained RNs applying for jobs.

I would have to say that given the oversaturated RN job market in the Bay Area, the chances of finding even just one local hospital that is willing to entertain the idea of sponsoring a foreign nurse is very unlikely.

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Thank you for bringing my culture into the mix. Actually the Cubans aren't affected by retrogression and they don't need papers or visas to stay. Once they set foot on land then they can stay. It's totally unfair but their reasoning is "political" vs "economical" as it is for most. But unfortunately for those who came here have gotten material things have thrown it in the faces of the brothers and sisters back home. So therefore they want that stuff too. I had this conversation with my cousin born & raised in Cuba and also with her brother in law who happens to be a Filipino born and raised in the Philippines who said the exact samething when my cousin and I were talking. That's a different topic for a different forum but that was the jist of the conversation. You may have not heard or experienced that but that came from my cousins brother in law who had that experience and was sharing it with us.

Bottom line at the moment jobs are scarce for all nurses here in the US, new, experienced, local, and international. Right now just isn't the time unfortunately.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I had this conversation with my cousin born & raised in Cuba and also with her brother in law who happens to be a Filipino born and raised in the Philippines who said the exact samething when my cousin and I were talking.

How does this apply to your statement about Filipino nurses who arrived here in the 90's telling their relatives in the Philippines about "fairy tales" of living in the US and how easy it was to get here as a nurse? One Filipino person in your family does not make you an expert on our culture.

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