Filipino nurses

military spouse · May 22, 2007

Hi there,
America is a melting pot with people from different races and background, color or creed. You have to learn to be diverse, and learn other people's culture before you judge them.
One question for you: A you racist?
Persistence

I don't think the OP is a racist. I think one cannot understand until they have lived in an area that has groups that don't participate in the "melting pot." When people immigrate here and choose to retain their cultural values and language, but allow some "melting" with American cultural values and language, that seems to enhance America. However, I don't believe that English should not be heard by employees for an 8 or 12 hour shift. My husband was military for 20 years and we lived in numerous states and 2 foreign countries and appreciate diversity. In my sister's position and the OP's position, I would feel frustrated. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else than small pockets in SoCal. For people that haven't experienced it, imagine if you were the ONLY nurse speaking English the whole day at work. When you went on break, your fellow nurses sat amongst themselves and didn't speak to you in a language you could understand. If you were working charge and asked them to do something and they acted as if they didn't understand. We're not talking about a few co-workers. We're talking about EVERY nurse at your facility. That is not melting into a new society. That is bringing their society with them and choosing not to become part of American society. Now, I want to add clearly, that I do believe places like that are absolutely not the norm, but they do exist in pockets of SoCal. My sister can't afford to spend more than the $600,000 she spent on small, ranch style home to escape the environment. That is not an option for her family at this time. I work in MD and my place of employment has people from Great Britain, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and everybody gets along. English is spoken unless there is a private conversation between 2 employees that speak the same language or somebody is on the phone with a friend/loved one. Nobody feels excluded. Communication is primarily in English and everybody feels like part of the team. I'm guessing the OP just wants to feel like part of the team and not an outsider at her facility. I don't think that qualifies as racist.

EXmpFUTURErn · May 22, 2007

Hello there,

I cannot speak about healthcare facilities in Arizona. I lived in SD for four years (military). I know what you mean about the clique's. They stick together and yes- they will speak their language. It is their comfort zone. Yes- they may be speaking about you or they might just be having a conversation about what they did on their weekend. They are your co-workers though you don't need to like them, just to tolerate them.

In the military we had three languages, English, Tagalog, and Spanish. Trust me when I say "I know what you are talking about". It is not just females that have "cliques" but males too.

I look at things though and here it is. You are there to do a job. People will talk about you whereever you go, whether in a foreign language or not. People will do whatever they want to do whereever you go, cliques or not. Who are they to you? At the end of the day when you go home and put your feet up and relax in your environment, does it really matter? I know that not everyone will like me, that's life. I know that people will talk about me behind my back, that's life. It's how you deal with it. Me, I ignore them.

America is one big melting pot, and everyone at one point in time had relatives that were foreigners. We are all one, it's time to cope, they are not going anywhere.

ARealMan · May 22, 2007

Are there any hospitals or nursing homes in Phoenix that employ a few to none Filipino nurses. I know I will be called racist. But i work here in so cal now,and they are very cliquish.
forgive my spelling

There may be some I think in the greater phoenix area - do the research and contact a local agency

Mayaquice · May 23, 2007

Are there any hospitals or nursing homes in Phoenix that employ a few to none Filipino nurses. I know I will be called racist. But i work here in so cal now,and they are very cliquish.
forgive my spelling

All I can say is YES! I notice the cliques with SO many people and they seem to run to help those in theri clique a heck of a lot faster than others lol. I don't see it as a race thing because we all tend to get a little clique wherever we are but in nursing it seems a bit crappy to build too much of a clique-if that makes any sense- because we all need to help each other and are all a team on that floor. Hopefully I will work with adults who realize this and see that nurses themselves are all one clique;)

Great post by the way because it is life and we all notice it. I was once told by an instructor that .....it is ignorant to be blind to what surrounds you/ and even more ignorant to not accept its exsistance. Keep that in mind while everyone alls you a racist :uhoh3:

Hoozdo, ADN · May 25, 2007

It might be more of a California thing as I recall Kaiser in San Diego hired a disproportionate number of Filipino nurses in the 1990's. I think it was intially an attempt of hospitals trying to save money.
Anyway, I haven't seen anything like that in the valley.

I have. Sometimes I was the only English as a primary language and born in USA nurse on my shift. That is here in PHOENIX. I will not post where it is either publically.

chuck1234 · Jun 5, 2007

It does sound like you are a racist.

If you are black, and I say, Are there any hospitals that do not hire any black nurses? I would like to apply for a job over there.

Or, if you were white, and I say, Are there any hospitals that do not hire any white nurses? I would like to send my resume over there.

If I ever say the same thing you said, "Are there any facilities that do not employ any Filipino nurses? I would like to email my resume over there.

Do I sound like a racist to you?

I don't know what's wrong with you.

Are you OK?

military spouse · Jun 5, 2007

It does sound like you are a racist.
If you are black, and I say, Are there any hospitals that do not hire any black nurses? I would like to apply for a job over there.
Or, if you were white, and I say, Are there any hospitals that do not hire any white nurses? I would like to send my resume over there.
If I ever say the same thing you said, "Are there any facilities that do not employ any Filipino nurses? I would like to email my resume over there.
Do I sound like a racist to you?
I don't know what's wrong with you.
Are you OK?

Did you not understand that the majority of Filipinos to which we are referring speak only Tagalog while working? I don't think anyone has a problem with people who choose to speak English. Last time I looked, the VAST majority of African Americans spoke fluent English. The issue is the language, not the country of origin. Does it bother you when YOU are the ONLY person speaking English where you work?

chuck1234 · Jun 5, 2007

When you are talking about African American, do you mean the ones that are from the Islands, Africa, or the ones that were born in America?

I am working in New York City. The ones from the Islands, most of the time they speak French or Creole; and the ones from Jamaica speak English in a sense that is so hard to understand...Jamaican accent!!!! I don't have any problems with that. As far as I am concerning, when I talk to them, are they going to talk to me in French or Creole? The most important question you have to ask yourself...Ms. Military Spouse...when you are talking to those Filipino nurses, do they talk to you in Tagalog. Yes/No??? I guess life is still too long for some, their lives are so good and they have to create problems for themselves and others.....

We even have nurses speak Polish or Russian, and they talk to themselves in Polish or Russian....and nobody has any problems with that.

By the way, the Filipino talk to themselves not in English, and that is OK to me. They are nice to work with, and always offer help.

Good luck with you soul searching!!!

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 5, 2007

Thread closed for staff review.