Career vs Money

Daly City RN · May 24, 2008

Hi! I would like to ask for your opinion cause I'm having a hard time making decisions right now regarding my career.
I graduated last April 2007 and took the local Board Exam(Philippines) and NCLEX - LA. Luckily, I passed both exams. Right now, I'm in Abu Dhabi trying my luck to have a work here. But unfortunately, I am disappointed to hear that they require 2 years of experience to have a license here and work as a nurse in hospitals.
Do you think it would be better for me to stay here and have a work in clinics with a good salary or go back to Philippines to earn years of experience since i have my US opition?
One thing more, I'm having difficulty to explain this situation with my family since they want me to earn to help them financially.
Hoping that posting here will be a great help for my career....thank you all.

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There soon will be hundreds of thousands of unemployed nurses in the Philippines given that tens of thousands graduate every year and take the local boards. Or there may already be hundreds of thousands of unemployed nurses in the Philippines right now and the situation will become even worse for Filipino nurses once the 950,000 Filipino student nurses currently enrolled graduate from various nursing schools. Your chances of getting hired as a nurse in a Philippine hospital in the foreseeable future is very bleak indeed. Granted there is a nursing job waiting for you in the Philippines, which is unlikely sad to say, I advice you to go back home to get your necessary hospital experience. I'm just curious, are you legally staying in Abu Dhabi? If that is so, then if you can find a clinic job with a good salary then grab the opportunity.

The U.S. has retrogression, and also many European countries are no longer hiring RN's from outside the E.U. from what I gathered. Until these two choice regions start hiring nurses from the Philippines once again, Filipino nurses have no choice but to wait years for those jobs that may never materialize, or go to other less desirable countries that still hire Filipino nurses. Good luck.

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lenjoy03, RN · May 25, 2008

First of all, what do you really want? Stay there or come back to the Philippines?

Second, its very hard to look for a job here in the Philippines. With thousands of nurses jobless and already in a very long line to look for hospitals, ask yourself if you want to be one of them! Who knows, you might be blessed with a job in a hospital.

regarding money, you can come back then earn a bit low income, have your experience and still help your family with your salary. You can also stay there and earn money but not as a nurse in a hospital.

You see, I can't really answer your questions to do this and do that.... I'm just giving you options because your still the one on the situation and will decide what needs to be done.... For me, its better to give suggestions rather than advice....

Praying that you might do the right decision....

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · May 25, 2008

With the current situation here in our country,I think it's much better if you stay there and make most of the salary you're earning in the clinic..They said it well enough,it is HARD to find a job here in Phil..Lucky for you if you will...But most hospitals accept volunteers and trainees only and lucky for you if you'll receive an honorarium ... Some hospitals won't even accept applications anymore since the list just too long....

But everything is up to you..If you're concerned with the expectations of your family to give financial support,it will quite be hard to fulfill that if you're here in Phil..

Best wishes to you!:nuke:

confusedmind15 · May 25, 2008

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There soon will be hundreds of thousands of unemployed nurses in the Philippines given that tens of thousands graduate every year and take the local boards. Or there may already be hundreds of thousands of unemployed nurses in the Philippines right now and the situation will become even worse for Filipino nurses once the 950,000 Filipino student nurses currently enrolled graduate from various nursing schools. Your chances of getting hired as a nurse in a Philippine hospital in the foreseeable future is very bleak indeed. Granted there is a nursing job waiting for you in the Philippines, which is unlikely sad to say, I advice you to go back home to get your necessary hospital experience. I'm just curious, are you legally staying in Abu Dhabi? If that is so, then if you can find a clinic job with a good salary then grab the opportunity.
The U.S. has retrogression, and also many European countries are no longer hiring RN's from outside the E.U. from what I gathered. Until these two choice regions start hiring nurses from the Philippines once again, Filipino nurses have no choice but to wait years for those jobs that may never materialize, or go to other less desirable countries that still hire Filipino nurses. Good luck.
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i'm here in a visit visa. i need to find a company that will sponsor for my working visa, which has 2-3 years validity.

some are suggesting that i accept job like receptionist or other office works, which is not in my mind right now since i want to have a good career as a nurse.

thank you for the response...i'm really confused right now since i'm still starting my career and i want to have the best option possible.

confusedmind15 · May 25, 2008

First of all, what do you really want? Stay there or come back to the Philippines?
Second, its very hard to look for a job here in the Philippines. With thousands of nurses jobless and already in a very long line to look for hospitals, ask yourself if you want to be one of them! Who knows, you might be blessed with a job in a hospital.
regarding money, you can come back then earn a bit low income, have your experience and still help your family with your salary. You can also stay there and earn money but not as a nurse in a hospital.
You see, I can't really answer your questions to do this and do that.... I'm just giving you options because your still the one on the situation and will decide what needs to be done.... For me, its better to give suggestions rather than advice....
Praying that you might do the right decision....

thank you! I'm really praying hard for his guidance cause it's only him who knows best.

yah, suggestions are better than advice. thank you! i just want to hear your opinions to decide for what is the right and best thing to do.

my sincere gratitude to all of you! this community is really a great help for all nurses throughout the world.

confusedmind15 · May 25, 2008

With the current situation here in our country,I think it's much better if you stay there and make most of the salary you're earning in the clinic..They said it well enough,it is HARD to find a job here in Phil..Lucky for you if you will...But most hospitals accept volunteers and trainees only and lucky for you if you'll receive an honorarium ... Some hospitals won't even accept applications anymore since the list just too long....
But everything is up to you..If you're concerned with the expectations of your family to give financial support,it will quite be hard to fulfill that if you're here in Phil..
Best wishes to you!:nuke:

thank you!!! :nuke: I'm just confused since most of the people here i talked to suggest that i should earn experience first in the philippines in a hospital to have a good career and brighter future. lots of thoughts are in my mind at the moment and i really don't know which is the best.

gemini_star, BSN, RN · May 25, 2008

I think there are some hospitals in UAE that accepts RNs without experience. Try searching in other locations not just in Abu Dhabi.

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · May 25, 2008

thank you!!! :nuke: I'm just confused since most of the people here i talked to suggest that i should earn experience first in the philippines in a hospital to have a good career and brighter future. lots of thoughts are in my mind at the moment and i really don't know which is the best.

Oh I see..Maybe you can try what Gemini has suggested..I'm actually thinking about the same problem..I just passed NCLEX and I'm not sure if i'll just play the waiting game here in Phil OR go outside of the country and work not necessarily as a nurse...I want to earn quick! My parents spent too much with this whole nursing thing and I still don't have a job!

Really,i understand it must be really hard on your part now..

woknblues · May 26, 2008

If changing your status from visitor to worker is legal in UAE, then if I were you, I would grab any kind of employment for the moment. After securing employment, begin your quest to expand your career. Example, if a place will hire you for a year, and then you are free to seek employment elsewhere, do that. If you come back home, as you likely well know, you will have a hard time finding any work in any location (urban or rural) and most facilities are accepting a fee for your "experience". In Baguio, most places charge for the "privilege", and I can only imagine they aren't the only ones. If gemini-star is correct in that there are facilities that take new grads in UAE, then there is your solution, provided you can change your status legally. This is just my opinion, some would say to keep your experience as a nurse, but I say, don't miss an opportunity to make actual money if you can do so legally. I would.

confusedmind15 · May 27, 2008

thank you guys.this site is really a good help for everyone especially nurses.

as of now, im maximizing my time to look for a work here. i know in god's time, he will answer my prayers.

btw, if i were you guys, if your planning to work here in UAE, earn 2 years experience first. You'll not having a hard time like what I'm experiencing right now. 2 years is not bad...little sacrifice could turn out into a big reward...

woknblues · May 30, 2008

thank you guys.this site is really a good help for everyone especially nurses.
as of now, im maximizing my time to look for a work here. i know in god's time, he will answer my prayers.
btw, if i were you guys, if your planning to work here in UAE, earn 2 years experience first. You'll not having a hard time like what I'm experiencing right now. 2 years is not bad...little sacrifice could turn out into a big reward...

on the other hand, if you can get some experience and get paid to do so, I would be doing that, rather than staying and having to pay for my experience. That sacrifice will really add up in a couple years when we have 1,000,000+ BSN grads in the Philippines w/ nowhere to go but a few places like UAE, etc. I would be looking for opportunity outside RP, ASAP.