to my fellow filipina/filipino nurses working abroad

nursey2008 · Feb 14, 2009

i don't understand what you mean by teaming up against european nurses....if this is really happening,this is a case of bullying in any other language.

teaming up against other nurses doesnt have to do anything with the language issue. I am now just briefly summarizing what I have witnessed very extremely in two wards and to a moderate extend in several other wards (so when I say "they" i dont speak about all filipina/o nurses in general but about filipina/o nurses i worked with personally who showed these patterns)

Teaming up: They help each other out at work, are very kind with each other. When dealing with european nurses they went as far as putting traps to european staff and once a european nurse made an error due to this trap he/she was reported to the nurse manager by the same people setting a trap while they made mistakes themselves and helped each other to cover these. Like this they wanted to look better in front of the nurse manager (who in fact is aware of what is going on)

I believe this can be called compensation of feelings of inferiority. And yes THIS BEHAVIOUR is soooo inferior!! Hasnt been THIS extreme everywhere but there have been similar patterns in quite a lot of the wards I worked.

I am sure there are nurses from the filippines reading this who are appalled and feel bad for members of their own nationality acting like this. And nurses like you are welcome to work anywhere and will be appreciated by european/american/australian (or whatever..) hospitals.

But to be frank, nurses (no matter where they r from) who go to other countries and act like this deserve to be fired from their job and be sent back to their country.

I am a foreign nurse myself here in ireland being from germany.. so i am aware of some of the challenges, and it is great once you work with fellow nationals. A foreign country has been kind to us, offers us a job and a certain security and we have to show ourselves appreciative!! ...And we are still guests!

pilgrim · Feb 15, 2009

This kind of behaviour is nothing short of reprehensible. Quite frankly, regardless of nationality, anyone who does this should be fired. Immediately. This does not only put patients at risk, it's also bad for morale.

People who do this have no place in the nursing profession.

Mcgyver · Feb 16, 2009

This kind of behaviour is nothing short of reprehensible. Quite frankly, regardless of nationality, anyone who does this should be fired. Immediately. This does not only put patients at risk, it's also bad for morale.
People who do this have no place in the nursing profession.

What? instantly fired!gulp:uhoh3:

BA.LVN · Nov 5, 2009

I am in no way going to "generalize" either, as I also have some great Filipino friends/former classmates. However, I too, have been privy to this behavior...mostly in my clinicals (about 90% of my classmates were Filipino...I am not). At most of my clinical sites there were a lot of Filipino nurses and they in a way took under their "wing" the Filipino classmates...they would speak in their native language in the setting and call them "ate" as well. At time I felt very uncomfortable and "excluded". A handful of interviews I have even gone on, interviewed with Filipino DON's, my former classmates (Filipino) with less experience than I have, have gotten hired around the same time, and I was not (could me be and my interviewing style). Also, my mom is an RN and works with Filipino nurses and they are always "banding" together. My mom will make a compliment to one of them about something and they won't even look at her....and my mom is a nice person. I don't get it. My mom feels uncomfortable so she ends up leaving the room. Again, I have some great Filipino friends, so this is in no way to "bash" anyone, just sharing some personal experiences. Please help me understand, if anything.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2009

It happens in all cultures, and I live in an area where there are a lot of latins who speak Spanish in front of others. Mostly those are people who barely know English. But it's disrespectful when you speak your native tongue in front of others who don't speak your language. What I have done is when I come across with someone who predominately speaks Spanish, I ALWAYS include the patient in the conversation, I translate what the other person is telling me. Even if it's something personal I will always translate.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2009

I've also heard where the Filipinos will as one would put it "band" against each other. I was speaking with a fellow Filipino co-worker and I was helping her out because she needed help. She was overworked and had more patients than the other Filipinos. She preceeded to tell me that they descriminate against her because she's not Ilocano. At that time I had no idea that there was any type of segregation, and I told her I didn't believe her. She told me the situation and showed me how they all stick together and they exclude the ones from Manila or something to that nature. I felt bad for her and I told her to complain to the DON. Her response to me was "I can't, she's Ilocano too". That poor CNA was stuck. Maybe someone can elaborate on this type of situation where they "band" against each other.

pilgrim · Nov 6, 2009

I honestly don't think there's a valid or sound enough reason to explain that kind of behaviour. That "pack mentality" smacks of immaturity, insecurity, even. I guess those people don't feel confident enough with their professional and interpersonal skills, that they have a need for each other's protection in the real world.

One other thing that I think they lack, is the preparation for a thorough understanding of the culture of the host country, and a serious grasp of how they're supposed to conduct themselves as guest workers. It's not enough that they do the job that they're supposed to do, what they're being paid to do. Just as important, is how they conduct themselves as representatives of the Philippines in another country.

There's a painful twitch in my heart whenever I come across this kind of observation about our people. But, there are good and bad people in every country in the world. Sadly, it's the bad people that make more impact in everyone's mind.

Fiona59 · Nov 6, 2009

Our unions have been attending grievances filed by staff over the use of any language other than English or French in the workplace. The case is usually lost and the nurse in question disciplined. Tagalog, Russian and Hindi speakers are the issues. Patients and co-workers just don't like feeling isolated.

Flyingirl · Aug 11, 2010

i have my mother in a facility close to where i live. it is staffed mostly by filipino staffers - most of them are wonderful. the administrators and nursing director are also filipino. recently a nurse who is very young, but very close to the nursing director was brought on, who then brought on her best friend and there is a sister in there somewhere, too. there are a handful of american workers but these are slowly being moved out and replaced by only filipino workers. the one nurse is nasty and malicious and on quite a power trip. she has her 'group' gang up on other workers who they determine don't fit into their group -- including even other filipinos. she has recently disregarded 3 separate doctors written orders for my mother from two separate doctors - determining in her own authority that the treatment is not necessary -- one for a uti that called for antibiotics. i have tried to complain to the nursing director, but she only states that this nurse is one of her best. now nurses who used to be friendly with me and my family and my mother do not speak to us or even look at us. my mother has a big gash on her shin, has been put on a catheter and seems very lethargic. to say there isn't a cultural coagulation going on with protectionism for the group over the patients' care and well-being is to try to be politically correct and deny the obvious.

i'm glad to find this thread because everything described here i, as an outsider with a loved-one in the facility, have witnessed this malicious behavior and am currently experiencing it too, but no one more than my mom.

these nurses have intimidated the other filipino nurses, purposely gone after other nurses to make them look bad and get them fired, neglected compassionate care to the elderly of families they do not like and other questionable harmful actions to the detriment of the clients, staff and workplace morale. the nepotism within the hierarchy only breeds a more dangerous environment leaving me feeling helpless and not knowing what to do without fear for my mother's well-being. it is the only facility in the area that is do-able.

please filipino workers, speak out more publicly about this issue --- my hands are tied because i will, of course, be labeled a racist.

good nurses are being driven out of work because of the stress of this type of behavior and seniors are losing their lives. 2 people in our facility have already died. my mother's memory is too frail to be able to tell me how she got the gash. please help!

sad in socal

Daly City RN · Aug 11, 2010

please filipino workers, speak out more publicly about this issue --- my hands are tied because i will, of course, be labeled a racist.

good nurses are being driven out of work because of the stress of this type of behavior and seniors are losing their lives. 2 people in our facility have already died. my mother's memory is too frail to be able to tell me how she got the gash. please help!

sad in socal

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please immediately call the local ombudsman in your area to report what you have witnessed, for the sake of your mother and of the other patients in that facility...do it today, not tomorrow!

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Flyingirl · Aug 11, 2010

Please immediately call the local Ombudsman in your area to report what you have witnessed, for the sake of your mother and of the other patients in that facility...do it today, not tomorrow!

My Mom went to ER last night and catheter was installed wrong and she has a UTI...something the nurses at the facility denied.

Thank you - my husband called today. Will post follow-up.

lenjoy03, RN · Aug 12, 2010

I've been reading your post and sad to say this is true. there are rotten apply in a basket. Even here in the Philippines, we have that kind of nurses. The thing is with SOME Filipinos, they are insecure. These are some of the typical attitude of Filipino. This does not only happen in Filipinos but others as well. You go to middle east and there you can encounter diff kind of discrimination from British, Arabs and Some Americans... THe way to address this is confront the person himself. I know it's is hard to do. If you don't want to do this, you can file a complain. As what our supervisors always say, "Put It In Writing" and send it to headnurse or grievance committee. Ok ok it's still hard because if you do this they will make your life more miserable. Well it's worth to try.. What I did before, I just kept quiet, mind my own business and be professional. Your not there to be bullied at and entertain them by showing your weak. there will come a time that they will just give up. This is what happened to me before. These is not always applicable. It depends on the situation your at. The important thing is, you know how to play their game and you know people you can trust. ANd lastly, I transfered to other unit where I enjoyed working with other nurses. There are still some backfighting, but lighter compare to the people I previosly worked with. Changing environment sometimes gives us a peace of mind and security.