by mrmiyagi

if you were in this situation:

- no experience and training. but passed NLE and NCLEX.
- accepted that there's no way you could get experience without money if you have hundred thousand nurse competitors
- have all the money you need
- need experience now since nclex license will expire soon
- don't want to leave for US without any hospital experience
- prefers a good hospital in metro manila

what would you do? which hospital will you apply for? requirements? and how much?

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

Don't you think you've spent enough money already? You've worked hard for your degree and according to your country you're recognized as a RN and you can work as a RN and be compensated. Why volunteer? You should be compensated for your services. Paid experience as a RN is what's going to land you a job in the US not volunteer experience. You might have to broaden your horizens and maybe go work in the provinces as a paid RN. Go where there's work, and I've heard that there are some jobs in the provinces. Is there a difference in nursing between Manila and the provinces? Also do you guys have nursing homes there in the Philippines? Is there other jobs that you can do as a RN that you can be paid for? Do you have clinics there that you can work at? Or is everything hospital located? Don't pay to volunteer, it's not going to do you any good. Volunteer means that you're not getting paid, volunteering shouldn't require you to pay. You guys need to fight back against all this paid volunteering. Start by going to your government and demand these changes. That's what they US citizens did regarding labor laws. Good Luck

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

philippine government doesnt recognize these problems. they are more focused on political issues like who will be the next president for 2010 or on how to impeach the current president or to extend its term as president. basically philippines only have 1% plan to improve health sector, educational system or labor/employment for its people. interms of how to improve the social welfare of all filipinos it doesnt recognize by the government

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

Everything is politics, get your national organizations to fight back against these people. Demand that they hear your voice OR YOU WONT VOTE FOR THEM! The political government is a select few, the citizens of the Philippines are in the MILLIONS.

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

again, another one willing to pay just to have experience...

boycott paid volunteering! maybe for some individuals they think paying to get experience will be beneficial for them, but in the long run it just helps worsen the general condition of nursing in the Philippines. NurseCubanitaRN2b is right, let us broaden our horizons... in the Philippines, there are other positions for other fields of nursing waiting to be filled. middle east is also hiring.

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

thanks for your advice guys. but it's a different situation here in the philippines. picture this we have MAGIC (what we see on tv/movies) then REALITY (what we see in most countries). unfortunately, philippines doesn't belong to either category. it's sad but true.

the hospitals take advantage of nurses situation here. they know there are thousands of other nurses fighting for the position you are applying for. they also know probably 99% of these nurses will get the experience and work in other countries. far from ideal or probably far from being fair.

supposedly, the government has to prevent this from happening. but guess what, i don't think even the 2010 election would make any difference.

basically, most nurses in the philippines aim for getting the hospital experience as soon as possible to make them eligible to work in other countries (any country not named philippines). it's either they see US as the "promised land." or like in my case, i just see nothing here in the philippines.

any institution here in the philippines or other countries will suffice as long as i get the experience to move on.

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

maybe you're right,it may still be the same after the election. and the gov't is not doing anything or if it is, maybe it's not enough.

you're right, most nurse aim to have "hospital" experience ASAP even if they have to get into paid volunteering that's why these hospitals take advantage of it. volunteering to gain experience is not bad, paying to become a volunteer is... it only worsens the situation.

if our gov't isn't doing anything, perhaps we should be the one to make our move in our own simple ways.. by not getting into paid volunteering..

imagine it nobody would voulunteer... as in zero! maybe these hospitals would be forced to start hiring. haha!

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

these hospitals are very wise, why would they require additional manpower when these nurses will even pay them to get experience.

i heard the Phil Nurses Association was alarmed about this situation, but it still exists. I doubt they really did something to stop this. I heard there was this one hospital who stopped getting volunteers, but if the newbie nurse will really insist and go ahead with the payment, s/he has to sign a waiver

so far ive only heard quite a few hospitals who dont require the volunteers to pay. majority still requires a certain fee.

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

mr miyagi

I presume you chose California for the board of nursing when you took nclex thats why your license will expire? Is that correct? You dont even have your license to begin with because you dont have Social Security no. Right?

If you have this dillema, just apply to a different state for an endorsement,such as Texas or any other state not requiring social security. Then you can always renew it even if you are still in the Philippines.

by the way you also mentioned that you didnt want to leave for US without experience, do you have a tourist visa already?

Re: situation: need hospital experience and willing to spend

Having a tourist visa isn't going to make much difference due to retrogression and that you can not AOS at the moment