Filipino nurses emigrating to US

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Is there any reason that there seems to be lots of RNs trained in the Philippines that come to the US to practice?

I just wonder because I never hear of nurses from other countries coming to work in the US as much as I hear of Filipino RNs. Does it have to do with the similarity of their training compared to RNs in the US?

Specializes in Emergency.

...As for those who speak in Filipino even when they're in the company of other nationalities...I know it's really disrespectful but in moving to another country, there is some sadness in the loss of language, the sudden uselessness of the mother tongue, so if it's an occasional slip, maybe it would do well to remind them to speak in English within the work premises. Some may be conscious about their accent and grammar LOL (which is a cultural thing: Filipinos that speak and write fairly well are those who were sent to elite schools and those who are gifted enough to qualify in special science high schools/state universities. There's discrimination within the community itself, but that's another topic altogether).

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Pangea Reunited , you are so right , im not a Filipino , but from what I have seen they work harder and faster than the American nurses and are better educated, all with a bsn or a msn

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I've yet to meet a Filipino nurse with a Masters. Nice first post though....

Pangea Reunited , you are so right , im not a Filipino , but from what I have seen they work harder and faster than the American nurses and are better educated, all with a bsn or a msn
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Pangea Reunited, l live in a small town that has a travel agency that imports nurses, my uncle is the one who teaches the ones that do not know how to drive , I can say I have seen a few with masters, 3 within the last 5 mos , those are the ones that are lucky, they have family that have a little money that can do that for them

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I don't see any disrespect. People are debating, and yes, getting "lively", I fail to see out and out disrespect. I also agree, while there are new grads/nurses who want to work but cannot find work, hire them first. I love Filipino people. Work with two myself. Most generous, gracious and caring. But that is another thread..

I was trying to redirect the thread. A gentle reminder that we need to moderate our responses and be respectful.
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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I agree with most of what you say, but find it insulting that you think you are "more hireable" or "skilled" or "competitive" than I am. That is a huge assumption on your part and largely unfair.....

I was just browsing allnurses.com and found this post - very interesting.

I am a foreign graduate from the Philippines. At 21, I am already a nurse in my country, at 22 a nurse in the state of New York.

To enlighten you fellow nurses:

Nursing in the Philippines.

We have to get our BSN degree first before we take the national exam, no Assciates degree, No LPN – straight BSN then RN. That is why all Filipino nurses who were educated in the Philippines and working here are BSN degree holder. It is a 4 year course.

Gradeschool- 6 years

Highschool- 4 years

College- 4 years (BSN degree)

My experience when I was still in college pursuing nursing:

I was already on my HANDS-ON CLINICAL EXPERIENCE by 2nd year 2nd semester. By hands-on meaning – assisting and delivering a newborn, injecting hundreds of vaccines to children, doing public health nursing, assisting the surgeon during Operating Room surgery, doing assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation. Rotation involves – MEDICAL SURGICAL FLOOR, ICU, PEDIATRIC, ER, OR, OUTPATIENT, RADIOLOGY, PSYCHIATRIC, LABOR AND DELIVERY. 8 Hours 5 days on a school year. Summer time 8 H for 2 weeks

By the end of our school year we have to make sure that we

Assisted – 5 deliveries

Delivered – 5 deliveries

Assisted (OR) – 5

Circulated (OR) – 5

1 Evidenced-based study / research.

EVERYTHING HANDS-ON. We interacted to our patients, made sure that their needs are being met, and understand every purpose of our actions and do charting on patients chart.

One of my rotations was on a public maternity unit while the physician was assisting the delivery and I was on her side ready to handle the newborn after the delivery she told me to exchange position with her and to PULL THE BABY OUT, imagine a 3rd year nursing student going to pull out a baby – she instructed me what to do and how to do it and it was such a fulfillment!!!

And one of my OR rotation, I assisted a brain surgery related to MVA, witnessed a mother deliver a conjoined twins and many more.

At an outpatient surgery, most of the time it's you and the surgeon doing the work, while the STAFF RN is doing the circulating nurse job – yes, they let the student nurse handle every case and they want the student TO LEARN THE REAL DEAL!

Our HANDS-ON experience starts at the middle of our 2nd year (some 1st year or 1st semester of 3rd year) with a total of 2500+ hours – if you are wondering how my school did this ( we had 1 month LECTURE CLASSROOM, 1 MONTH – RELATED EXPERIENCE or CLINICALS.

As far as I could remember my OR surgery cases were – mostly THYROIDECTOMY, appendectomy, spinal surgery, bone surgery, Cesarian Section and many more, me, the OR nurse, Circulating Nurse and my ‘dutymate', surgeon, anesthesiologist and whoever wants to observed the ongoing surgery is allowed inside the operation room as long as the ‘obervants' wont touch the patient and whatever is sterile since STERILITY IS STRICTLY IMPOSED. I remember that if my surgical gloves are bloodless then my partner - OR RN will let me assist and pass to the surgeon the needed instruments. Surgical handwashing, gloving and assIst the surgeon in EVERYTHING – PUTTING ON HIS Sterile scrub, gloving, etc. Assisted angry surgeons- who can throw instrument and can kick you out of the OR room if he is not satisfied with your work, friendly surgeons who are willing to teach you every detail on what is going on.

During my 4th year or clinicals – I had the opportunity to act as a CHARGE NURSE in the station I was assigned for 2 weeks 8 hour a day. Transcribing medications, calling the attending physician if anything happens and so on that a Charge Nurse should do.

That is why when I came here to pursue more oppurtunities, I was disappointed when I found out that the clinicals here are way different than ours. I witnessed by myself, when my Aunt was about to deliver my cousin at a city hospital – then a nurse did not let the student nurse touch / go inside the delivery room, I was shocked. Then I asked her if it is really like this here and she said yes. I did not tell her that I am a foreign nurse. I did my observation while my Aunt was delivering my cousin and right there an then, I told myself – THANK GOD, I AM A FOREIGN NURSE, TRAINED AND EDUCATED IN A COUNTRY WHERE YOU LEARN AND EXPERIENCE THE REAL DEAL.

Plus, our attitude and dedication to our chosen profession. Those not-so-good news about Filipino nurses in a foreign country are nothing compared to the positive news, report that MOST FOREIGN CLIENTS have for my fellowmen.

I know someone who works as a CNA at a private facility nursing home and he was told this exact word ( I DON”T KNOW ABOUT YOU FILIPINOS, WHY YOU ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS? WORK ETHIC, PROFESSIONALISM, RESPECT, COMPASSION ETC.) this and there are more positive remarks about Filipino workers. It's not all about the training, experience etc., I believe that it's the attitude, compassion.

And if there's more foreign nurse in your floor/ unit, it's not them who is responsible why they are there. Go ask your nursing manager/s if you have the guts to do so. It's not their fault that they are more ‘hireable' than you, more competitive than you.

I respect every foreign nurses, job-seekers who are seeking employment outside their comfort zone, because nobody but us knows how hard it is to compete with others yet we chose to be competitive and challengers. And I believe that it is more enjoyable to work in a diverse culture with different types of people, that's how you learn. And also, your patients are not only AMERICANS/ CANADIANS, if you are in a diverse community then you should expect diversity of clients and workers.

Let's drop the inferiority and racial issues, and be open-minded and enjoy the learning we can gain from each other J

Peace and love to you all!

and BTWm it's FILIPINO not PHILIPPINO.

THANK YOU!!!!

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Pangea Reunited , you are so right , im not a Filipino , but from what I have seen they work harder and faster than the American nurses and are better educated, all with a bsn or a msn

Unfortunately this has not been my experience with the nurses from the Philippines that I have known. A couple of weeks ago we were coding a patient and the Pilipino nurse I was with didn't know the basics of CPR - Actually asked me "how many compressions do we do?" I find that many and these are only the one's I have worked with lack sound knowledge base in evidence based practice and don't have a caring bone in their bodies. Maybe it's just where I work as I am sure there are some great Pilipino nurse out there. I just haven't met any. I also find it amazing with so many new grads who are US citizens looking for work that we are still importing foreign nurses.

Hppy

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We continue to import foreign nurses, as a means of disimpowering the, "upity American Nurses". No disrespect towards Filipino nurses. The fact of the matter, is that we just don't need you. Period. We have more than enough American Nurses who can staff hospitals, and nursing homes. If hospitals staffed the way they SHOULD BE STAFFING, there would truly be a nursing shortage!

JMHO and my NY $0.02

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

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? what, im not disrespecting any one

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There are some truly and bitter people on here. If you have a problem with foreign workers, why don't you voice your problems to the EMPLOYER after all they are the ones hiring the foreign workers. This is an employers market, they can hire and fire whoever they like, if you have a problem working with foreign nurses then look for employment where majority of the workers are american (e.g north dakota).

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the way I see it is the ones that are bitter about a nurses from over seas , well it seems that the ones the cry about hires here 1st need to understand that the nurses are LEGAL and are not some one that ran across the border last night. I have seen bad nurses and good ones maybe its you , yes you the one crying have a bad record , or just really don't know your job, hence , no one wants to hire you, so the go to the next on who happens to be from the Philippines or india, or where ever , I suggest you tighten up and do you job , lose the attitude and do your job quit crying , pull you big boy underwear or gig girl panties up and deal with you may not be a good nurses that's why you cant or its hard for you to get a job, STOP BLAMING IT ON EVERYONE ELSE FROM A DIFF COUNTRY

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Moderators, please close this thread before it gets worse!!!!!!

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