Cultural issues between Filipino and American Nurses

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2009

Never had an issue with any nurse from the Philippines. They all seemed to have a great work ethic and have been very pleasant and polite.

fiveofpeep · Jan 18, 2009

I have no issues with them and find them to be pleasant, polite, caring, etc as well :loveya:. I do think that as the economy worsens and jobs are harder to find, unfortunately this culture may become the "scapegoats" as people resent the competition? :confused: This is just something I've noticed through comments I've heard people make, but not something I agree with at all.

witchypoo · Jan 18, 2009

My experience with Filipino nurses started some 30 years ago. They have always been smart, well educated, hardworking and just like most of the nurses I have worked with over the years some you get along with and others you don't it is strictly a personality thing.

I have seen them exploited by some of the host employers, and found that helping them out of the company store revolving debt scheme our one employer had them under was far more fun for me and my co workers than for them. They were ashamed that we thought that they needed charity, till they came over to my apartment furnished in cast off 's and used stuff from friends and family. after our 3 to 11 shift we would side walk boutique, we would go out, In the morning we went to good will salvation army and other thrift stores to furnish their home, have curtain, and house hold good exchanges. My husband who i was dating at the time checked out car's before they bought them. and taught them to fix simple things on them.

Our employer had been garnishing their wages to reimburse himself the cost of the motel they stayed in when they first came in. with loan shark interest rates, charged them for the used nursing home furniture as if it were new, he also paid them less.

I was called to his office and asked why I did this,after all he could replace me with one of them tomorrow. and in my cockiest new york accent I told him because I was a grandchild of miner and I heard tales of company store but never thought i see one and since I was told it was wrong to exploit anyone I have to follow my grandmothers advice and help these girls, like her family had during the Molly McGuire days.

We still laugh when we get together about going to dance clubs, trying to shove a chair in my pinto or the living room set from my sisters in the back of my husbands truck, rummaging through my grandmothers attic and finding those awful fiberglass curtains that nan recently sold on e bay can you believe it. or at Beth's wedding my husband and I were the tallest people there. How happy they were to see the Marco's regime fall.

I do not know if i could leave my family and start over in another country, housed with complete strangers, working with complete strangers. I am grateful to know them and have has some of my best times in their company.:heartbeat

ANnot4me · Jan 18, 2009

I am glad to see all the positive comments. I, too, have worked with many Fillipino nurses. I wish some would post here as I am sure they have much to say. I know theie culture is much more family oriented and that Fillipino families are inclined to do the personal cares. From what I have heard, nurses in the Phillipines do little of this sort of thing as there is always family around to assist the patient.

Here in NZ, Fillipino nurses have also been exploited in the ways mentioned above. They are also not as appreciated or respected here (neither are most ethnic immigrant nurses). I love working with Fillipino nurses as some can be fun to work with and very playful. Not to mention the food that is always shared.

agldragonRN · Jan 19, 2009

wow. thank you so much for all the kind posts regarding filipino nurses. i am proud to be a filipino-american lpn.

yes filipinos are very family oriented. back home, patients' family would usually be the one tending to the basic needs of the patient such as cleaning them, toileting, feeding, staying overnight or 24 hours with pt (just in case pt. needs something), etc.

plus, filipinos love foods and like sharing them. when i bring food at work, i make sure to bring extras so i can share them with my coworkers. all of them like filipino foods. sometimes, i would ask my mom to cook filipino foods for the whole staff (total 8 people). i did this a couple of times when i was new on the floor and it seemed to help me "bond" with my fellow coworkers. i still do this from time to time. they look forward to my mom's cookings.

anyhoo, thanks again for all the warm posts!! :redbeathe