DOH urged to shut down hospitals found exploiting nurses

mimeo · Sep 4, 2008

This bit of news is long overdue. Perhaps this can jolt the minds of potential nursing applicants and burst their bubbles so that they can see the reality of nursing practice in the Philippines. My own personal bubble was burst a few months shy of graduation. It should have been done 2 years ago.

Incidentally, the universities should also take the time to discuss this with their students and graduates instead of cocooning them and dare I say, deceiving them into believing that all is well after ward.

Why these hospitals call the training scheme as 'post-graduate training' or 'specialized training' is a mystery to me. I personally called the research and training division of a government hospital and inquired about 'post-graduate training' because I wanted to become certified in wound and stoma care.

The receiver of my call then oriented me about their paid training scheme.

Apparently our definitions of 'post-graduate training' are not the same.

pillilialuis9652 · Sep 4, 2008

the doh secretary said that the pna misunderstood what hospitals are giving these nurses,he said and i quote" it is on the job training" i think he is just covering for these hospitals because,the modus operandi of these hospitals is that they will say they are now not taking in any nurses,even if they are severely understaff,and the ploy was then to tell the nurse applying that they can take him or her as a volunteer,which is not considered on the job training,and if that hospital can add more damage the applicant is asked to give the hospital a monthly fee so he or she can work as a volunteer at this hospital,it is a win-win solution to the understaffing problems of these hospital, and also they have now nurses working for free for them and they even get paid by the volunteer nurses who are slaving for them.this has been a long practice by these hospitals ,hopefully the pna can help us all and not get abused by these hospitals, and i repeat there are hospitals doing these scheme for a long time and the doh secretary should look at the difference between the meaning of volunteer nursing from on the job training.

spongebob6286, BSN, RN · Sep 4, 2008

it has been a business already instead of depicting the true reason why nurses have to undergo trainings..

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Sep 4, 2008

It sounds like the PNA is finally growing some balls. It's about time they speak up loud and clear about the issues faced by Filipino nurses in the Philippines. What I don't get is the comment made by the DOH secretary justifying the fees charged to nurses by govenment-funded specialty hospitals because they provide "specialty training". Why would a new grad need specialty training? In theory, any new RN should be be capable of being employed in an entry-level position. A new nurse then progresses from being a novice to an expert and can start exploring options in specialty areas later. If a hospital decides to hire a new nurse in a highly-specialized hospital unit, that's a risk the hospital takes and the hospital should be responsible for the training without cost to the nurse.

spongebob6286, BSN, RN · Sep 4, 2008

he even mentioned about certain budgets the government hospitals ''spend" for these trainings so theres a certain fee collected.just wondering what's the budget for when theres no meal or transportation allowance,handouts,etc..was that a payment to be able to use their fascilities?.

its not only the private hospitals whose doing these schemes even government hospitals.in fact training fees don't just range from 3-3,500phs as stated in the news,its from 3-10Kphp!there were even some hospitals who also have their trainings fee increased & lessened the number of months of duties!so they can be able to accommodate other desperate applicants.

Daly City RN · Sep 4, 2008

It sounds like the PNA is finally growing some balls. It's about time they speak up loud and clear about the issues faced by Filipino nurses in the Philippines. What I don't get is the comment made by the DOH secretary justifying the fees charged to nurses by govenment-funded specialty hospitals because they provide "specialty training". Why would a new grad need specialty training? In theory, any new RN should be be capable of being employed in an entry-level position. A new nurse then progresses from being a novice to an expert and can start exploring options in specialty areas later. If a hospital decides to hire a new nurse in a highly-specialized hospital unit, that's a risk the hospital takes and the hospital should be responsible for the training without cost to the nurse.

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The problem is that the Philippines remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Let's see if the Department of Health secretary can fix this problem. It is so wrong to make Filipino nurses work as "volunteers" and then charge them for that priviledge, and label it as "specialty training" or "post graduate" training. That is a double whammy.

Once money flows under the table, corrupt government officials will be silenced and the poor Filipino nurses will remain the slaves of the abusive hospitlals. I challenge any Philippine government official to prove me wrong and I will be more than happy to apologize to the whole world right in this forum. The Filipino nurses will then be the winner.

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pillilialuis9652 · Sep 6, 2008

i saw yesterday morning pna chairwoman guesting on a morning tv show, she was asked about what is the current situation about the said topic and she replied she is currently talking to the private hospial association about the volunteer nurses problem, hopefully this issue won't be forgotten and that nurses get the right payment and benefits volunteer nurses or all nurses in general deserve,she also talked about the salary grade of government nurses who should get a base payment of 15,000 pesos monthly, which was passed on 2001 or something, but until now it is said that it is still not being implemented by government hospitals. another issue that we all nurses should be vigilantly about. so there will be resolution to these issues.

and also they flash the email address of ma'm paquiz and the pna, i don't know if it is accurate or they will reply if they get emails or something.i guess it is given so that if there are other similar complaints or problems you can email them,here it is [email protected] and [email protected] hope it is correct.