What are your plans as a RN?

cont.
1. The problem- over production of nurses in the Philippines. While I was still in the country I have have already anticipated that this is going to be a big problem. It is a dilemma caused by dreams, rights and greed. The parents dream of bright future for their kids--who wouldnt? The will sell everything and do anything to send their kids to expensive nursing schools most of them can not afford hoping that after few years they can get their returns of investment. It is their right to dream and it is the right of their kids to choose whatever college degree they want and the schools are obligated to accept if the students pass their requirements. It is also the schools obligation to ensure that the business is profitable to make the stockholders happy. Nursing is a caring profession but let us not forget it is also a business and many greedy schools lowered down their standards to guarantee more enrollments. WAS there a demand? Yes definitely. But who will be qualified to fill in the demands? Remember, the US has students too and economy may not always be abundant.

2. Retrogression. Yes, it happened starting last year. It's nothing new. US has many retrogressions recorded in history. Some were not big as the others but just the same people loose jobs. Retired nurses go back to active duty because their partners lost their jobs. Nurses who were scheduled to retire did not retire. Nurses working in other fields went back to active nursing however they detest it, to earn income for their family and many parents encouraged their kids to take nursing because it is supposedly recession proof (stable job). Grown-ups and second degree holders are taking up nursing because of this also. As a result right now there are some newly graduate nurses here who cant find work. Maybe their resumes were not that impressive? or just maybe the hospitals cost cutting measures does not have enough budget to train new nurses. Some people just stop going to hospitals because its costly and they have no money to pay the co-pay. So the census in hospitals also dropped--temporarily. Less patients, less jobs available.
3. Visa H1B or EB3. There are not much nursing jobs available right now and the priority is the US citizens. Visas will take longer time to be approved, (I know, I know, it sucks and it hurts). But what can we do? Will the demand come back? This I know-- the population is aging. But the demand may not be as big as before at first because they have many local graduates now. But (this is a speculation) as the economy bounce back in few more years (many years) many nurses will retire and will change career again to less stressful jobs and the US will need foreign nurses again. It maybe a long wait. Are you willing to wait that long? Is there any guarantee you will get in?

4. What will you do in the meantime? Life is short. I know you want to come here and earn decent income but do not forget that you have your lives too. If it will happen it will happen. Focus on the needs of your family. Prioritize. Your parents are disheartened too after spending so much money for your education. If you need to work in different industries to earn a living for your family, do it. If your family have enough money to continue to support you to have more training in hospitals (volunteer, etc) then do it while applying for jobs in other countries.

5. Some extras. This is just my opinion on some extra education. I mean these things are good to have but NOT necessary as of this time. Masters degree-- not now, unless you are an educator and you need it to maintain your position in the school you are teaching. College educators MUST have their masters degree. IV therapy, if you are not working in the hospital. What is the use? It has expiration date. You may have to wait to get hired before deciding to get one. The hospital will help you to get one. IELTS, again it has expiration date. If you wanna take it just so you can be eligible for application for foreign countries it is your choice. But do not think that because you passed it you will be immediately hired. NCLEX--same as IELTS but no expiration date. All these foreign exams are expensive and there are no guarantees that you will pass it and that you will get hired after passing it. Think first, if you have extra money take it, but if your going to get the money from your families tight budget you may want to think several times.

6. It is what it is. I know you are hurting. As I have mentioned to my students before invest on your education. Now more than ever, your grades in school will fight for you in getting hired not only in hospitals but also in other industries. Prioritize, prioritize, do what is needed to be done. US is hurting too. Live your lives, you have only one life. You may not get what you want right now but hey, you can still be happy in doing nursing or other jobs. As former professor, I can say that we trained you not only to work as nurses. You were taught how to think analytically, have good interpersonal skills, how to work in a team, have discipline, adaptable and resourceful with good knowledge of the different aspects of a person which makes you good candidates for other jobs too. Do not get too fixated on one thing. What you want may not always be given to you. Welcome to real life.