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[gemini_star, BSN, RN]

Termination of Pinoy nurses in UAE questioned

The Philippine embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has met with Filipino nurses who were allegedly terminated from their work for failing to pass clinical assessment tests in Abu Dhabi, an online news site reported Thursday.

Lily Libo-on’s article "Philippine envoy to discuss nurses case," published online by the Khaleej Times, reported that Ambassador Libran Cabactulan plans to discuss the nurses’ problem with the UAE’s Ministry of Health. He will also ask that the clinical assessment tests be reviewed and assessed by internationally-accredited nursing institutions in the Philippines.

"This is the first time Filipino nurses are said to have failed to qualify in the clinical assessment test. Indeed, this is very surprising," Cabactulan said in the report. Cabactulan is reportedly verifying the facts behind the termination of 60 Filipino nurses at Al Mafraq Hospital. He held a meeting with 17 of the 100 Filipino nurses whose employment contracts were not renewed.

In the report, Cabactulan found the case very unusual, noting that all nursing institutions in the Philippines are well known globally. Furthermore, Cabactulan said the Philippines has been deploying nurses to the UAE, the UK and other European countries.

The nurses who allegedly flunked the tests have all passed the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) test, a requirement set by hospitals in the US, Canada and Europe for foreign workers to be able to work in the said countries.

Read more: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=128937

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

I read the article, I thought these nurses had over 10 years experience. And what did they mean they took the test but were unable to put their name on the test. I feel very sad for these nurses.

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

Something didn't seem right in the article. So I went online to find the original post and found that Indian nurses where also released.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?section=theuae&xfile=data/theuae/2008/august/theuae_august522.xml

I am wondering why they are releasing so many nurses ? Perhaps they found cheaper help, and the sad part is that even after working in this hospital many years they can be released.

[suzanne4, RN]

Sorry but things are not adding up with this report from the get go.

The CGFNS exam is used only for the US and is a screening tool at best, it does not grant a license to work. It is not used by Canada nor is it used by any country in Europe. The Ambassador also is not aware that the EU has a hiring freeze in place and that visas to work as RNs in most of those countries have not been renewed as well.

There are also issues with nurses that have come to the US that do not have the required skills for here either. Clinical training in the Philippines is not up to the standards of what they had in the past.

Perhaps they will wise up and do something about it. But the Ambassador needs to be updated as to what the requirements are for other countries.

It is actually only a few in the Middle East that use the CGFNS since they do not have their own exam.

Even in the US, only four states still use it.

[gemini_star, BSN, RN]

Here is another version of the story:

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080818/NATIONAL/48468765

It's sad for the more than 100 nurses to leave the facility especially knowing that the hospital has already taken care of their manpower loss.

[lawrence01]

Hundreds of nurses from different nationalities from that Gov't-run hospital were sacked, including those who have worked with them for 15-20 years already.

This is a result of a recent so-called evaluation test and since it is a Gov't operated hospital, the employees cannot appeal the decision.

This a mass termination of their staff and in no particular significance if new or old staff and it seems from the diff. version of the story from diff. news articles more veteran nurses are affected than new ones.

Usually, such so-called evaluations exams are used as an excuse to terminate staff that have been with them for a long time to bring in new ones that complies with their so-called new standard.

*See another version from an Indian news article: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/160-Indian-nurses-sacked-in-UAE/353490/

[lawrence01]

In addition, I would not be surprised if their pensions and other benefits will be affected by them being terminated because they allegedly failed that exam.

[mctina_20]

There are also issues with nurses that have come to the US that do not have the required skills for here either. Clinical training in the Philippines is not up to the standards of what they had in the past.

.

Sad but true.

[jennygump]

Sloppy reporting. CGFNS for Canada and Europe?

Moreover, the reporter did not print his name at the end of the article.

The real question is: who would benefit (i.e. who paid the reporter) to have this article posted? My guess is the government institution and the politician who want to push for a mandatory 2-year local service.

Incredible how this article is published within a very close time frame to the politicians privilege speech.

So let me guess, a notorious government agency will now come up with a new MANDATORY money making scheme like: a local skills testing fee, an interview fee, an english proficiency fee, a fundamental sciences knowledge fee, a psychological equilibrium fee, a transcript of records validation fee, and a mandatory enrollment in a 3 unit course offered only in accredited institutions (i.e. owned by the government official).

Our poor nurses. Exploited again!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Didn't think CGFNS was used for Europe

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

Jenny Gump, I agree with you that there is an agenda, we may never know. I disagree with calling these nurses exploited though, they had a contract and they worked the contract and now they are stating their services are no longer needed. They were contracted for a service and paid this is not exploitation.

Very sad since many of them have been employed at this hospital for decades. US nurses who were working in the early 80's experienced this. when there was a change in Medicare. Many nurses where laid off after decaded of working in one hospital, in my opinion this spurred the unionization of nurses which now protects these nurses from lay offs ( done by senority).

[lawrence01]

Sloppy reporting. CGFNS for Canada and Europe?

Moreover, the reporter did not print his name at the end of the article.

The real question is: who would benefit (i.e. who paid the reporter) to have this article posted? My guess is the government institution and the politician who want to push for a mandatory 2-year local service.

Incredible how this article is published within a very close time frame to the politicians privilege speech.

So let me guess, a notorious government agency will now come up with a new MANDATORY money making scheme like: a local skills testing fee, an interview fee, an english proficiency fee, a fundamental sciences knowledge fee, a psychological equilibrium fee, a transcript of records validation fee, and a mandatory enrollment in a 3 unit course offered only in accredited institutions (i.e. owned by the government official).

Our poor nurses. Exploited again!

I respectfully disagree with you regarding this being some type of conspiracy by the Phil. Gov't. The issue only pertains to this specific State-run hospital and hundreds of nurses from diff. nationalities were terminated. Filipinos aren't even the most affected nationality and all envoys from the affected countries are trying to appeal it.

Their might be an agenda, somewhere but it's not from the Governments of the affected side.