Foreign recruitment of nurses-thoughts?

Weenurse · Oct 8, 2002

I work in a general hospital in England and we have the same "solution " over here. I personally don't think this is the answer, there are too many overseas nurses here who have language difficulties , and I don't feel the process in this country is good enough to adapt these nurses to nursing here. Don't get me wrong, I work with some very good nurses who trained elsewhere but there are far more who are having trouble understanding English! We need to be training our own nurses and not poaching from other countries. This is not a long term soloution as retaining these nurses is difficult, eventually they're all going to go home! :nurse:

mattsmom81 · Oct 10, 2002

I can't agree with importation of nurses as a solution to the nursing shortage. Appears it's NOT just in the US. What's up with this???

It' s like rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking Titanic, IMO.

karenG · Oct 10, 2002

yes, it does feel like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic! that didnt work either!

politicians seem to think that poaching nurses from other countries will solve the problem- but we need a long term solution that includes looking at pay and conditions. Here in England a newly qualified policeman with 12wks training earns £10000 more than a newly qualified staff nurse. They say there are too many of us to give huge pay rises to....but soon there wont be any of us 'cos we will be too worn out to work!!!!

Karen

mbg · Dec 17, 2003

i agree with you that hiring foreign nurses is not the best way to solve the problem , coz your country is stealing the talent that a certain country is producing thats why there is shortage of nurses from that country as well, , FYI only, foreign nurses fees for college did not come from anybody , im a filipina R.N., and most of the filipina nurses who graduated from nursing school shouldered their fees( most probably from their parents). You were saying that american funded us to go nursing school, that is not the case, they ( american petitioner) only spend money for immigration purposes and the fee for taking Exams , ie cgfns, toefl/ tse and nclex, which they spend at least or less than $ 2000 plus the air ticket thats not a ton of money .And nurses from this country are well trained , before they can go to the US ,they have to passed all this exams, even though we came from the third world doesn't mean we lack the practice, thats not always the case, we have hospitals that we can compare with the US standard , english is our second language , we have to pass the english languge test given by american, our books are all written in english, so we don't have problem with english, though we don't speak exactly like you do , but we can write , read , understand and can communicate in english.

mbg · Dec 17, 2003

in response to tonicarrer , foreign nurses are not recruited to go to the US to study nursing and to be funded by the recruiter or who ever petitioned them , they only recruite R.N. who passed cgfns /tse / toefl.

NGACAYAN-CORTES · Apr 3, 2004

foreign nurses who qualify to work to the usa are not paid to study nursing in the usa. :chuckle they are already registered nurses in their own country and passed the cgfns (commision on graduates of foreign nursing schools) and the english tests: ielts/toefl & tse.

Nuru99 · Apr 3, 2004

Hi,

I am a foreign trained nurse who used to work in the U.S. I can tell you right now that not only did I have to pay for my Bsc on my own ( I was a Registered Nurse in New York state with a diploma) but I had to pay for it at a rate that was over twice that for U.S citizens.

I also paid for my own NCLEX exams and visa processing. I worked hard to pay for these. I remember at one time I was working so much overtime to pay for these that one day I was in the supermarket on my day off doing some shopping and realized that I really felt strange. I then finally realized that the reason I felt so strange was because I wasn't wearing scrubs and was out of uniform.

I am proud of where I am today. There were times when things did get hard but I have never blamed anyone (most certainly not any group!!!) for any problems which I have had.

I have been spat at in elevators on my way to work because someone felt that someone of my complexion shouldn't be in that hospital. It made me angry but I didn't think that the whole of New York State behaved that way and so I didn't blame the whole state never mind the whole country!!!!.

globalRN I read the following post from you

"I am disappointed that when foreign nurses were used as scapegoats, or when their collective character/background were impugned there was very little response from this board"

I would have definitely had something to say sooner but I only just found this thread now.

I think that you should be proud off all the hard work you have put into becoming an RN. You most certainly have my respect. ( I worked for my degree too but I didn't have a family to care for at the time).

We all have worked hard to get to where we are and we all (I am sure have had to make sacrifices ) but to blame a group for all your woes is not only dangerous it's stupid. Especially when it is based on here say.

suzanne4, RN · Apr 3, 2004

Again can I please add my two cents, for whatever they are worth..............this is an old thread brought up again......................

first.................The only way a foreign nurse can come to the US to work is by applying and receiving a green card, which gives them permanent residency. They are required to have English skills the same as a native speaker. The must pass the same exams that you need to do..........They are responsible for paying taxes, etc., the same as you. Many of our parents, grandparents, or even great grandparents came over here and were welcomed..........Why can't you welcome the people that want to come over to the US now as our families were back then?

Their schooling isn't being paid for by any one in the US, they have paid for it themselves................they have paid for all of the additional training that is required by themselves..................they may get their NCLEX exam and Visa Screen fees reimbursed, but that is about the extent of it. Many of you are getting sign-on bonuses, even as much as $10,000........................

There will always be people emigrating to other countries, look at how many postings that are on this forum about American nurses wishing to move and work in other countries...............remember that the world is getting smaller and smaller.................Give everyone a chance....................

:balloons: