US RN's what is your opinion on Foreign trained RN's

[madwife2002]

This is part of my ongoing research regarding foreign nurses impact in the USA please feel free to answer my poll and keep updated in my blog which can be found in BLOGS from Uniform to "Scrubs.

You may check more than one box

https://allnurses.com/nursing-blogs/polls-regarding-foreign-370279.html

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Large numbers of foreign nurses in certain areas of the US enable employers to ignore problems with working conditions, wages, and the treatment of American nurses.

When the US manufacturers want to find a way around paying decent wages, addressing poor working conditions, and want cut operating expenses so that they can keep more $ for their executives and shareholders, they close their US factories and open up plants overseas.

Hospitals bring in nurses from overseas.

Same thing.

People are welcome to their opinions - but please state them as such, OPINIONS, rather than stating as fact without providing any evidence whatsoever. Noone has actually shown or even suggested the existence of any such data.

Hiring foreign-trained nurses (who believe it or not, may actually be hired for the particular skills they are bringing to the facility or position!) is **NOT** the same as opening a call center in India, or a factory in a third world country. One is physically locating things where costs of manufacture, rent, materials, and labor are cheap. One is talking about hiring someone who didn't happen to have the trait of being American, or US-trained. Absolutely NOT the same thing, and utterly ridiculous to equate the two.

In my opinion, of course.

[mysterious_one, ASN, RN]

Hi,

I am a German native, living in the US since 91. I am not a US citizen, but I have a green card. I have a nursing degree in Germany, but did not work for a long time due to motherhood and frequent traveling. I decided, after being out of the job for over 15 years, to go back to school here in the US and get my ADN. I am now a RN and work on a busy telemetry floor.

I am surprised to see that the majority who have voted, believe that foreign trained nurses take jobs that belong to American nurses. During nursing school and now on the job, I have worked with many foreign nurses, and as others stated, there are good and not so good ones. My question is this: There is a nursing shortage. So if a American nurse wants to work, I am sure she/he has no problem finding a job. Unfortunately, many just don't want to do bedside nursing or med/surg nursing. So the empty jobs have to be filled somehow, right? I believe no foreign nurse is taking away jobs from American nurses, because there are plenty of openings in many hospitals around the country. If one wants to work, one can find a job.

Just my opinion.

[shodobe]

Curious, mysterious one, in 18 years of living here in the states, why don't you have your citizenship?

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Besides isn't there a nursing shortage over there in America?

No, there is not a shortage of nurses over here.

Please review the many, many posts from new American nurses as well as experienced nurses that cannot find jobs. The is abundant evidence of this on the BB.

[mental health nurse]

Hi I thought this thread was raising some interesting issues so I thought I would provide my opinion as a foreign nurse.

I trained in the UK and moved to Australia 5 years ago. Even though we have a common language (English) there are many cultural differences that make 'fitting in' difficult. In many area's there are high percentages of foreign nurses, both in Australia and the UK. There is of course a well evidenced shortage of nurses world wide, which is predicted to increase significantly in the context of the 'aging' nurse population as well as the increasing aged population.

Interestingly a tool for measuring compassion is being used in some parts of the UK as some newly qualified nurses have been found to lack this essential quality which is felt to be the result of nursing being viewed as a stable career option.

Regarding language, there should be a high standard of verbal and written comprehension of the language spoken in the country you are training in or are moving to. I know that I would not consider moving to a country where I could not speak the language fluently as I would not be able to perform to the standard that should be expected of a qualified nurse.

Regarding the whole pay and conditions issue. Unfortunately all the time that experience and expertise are not recognised as an important aspect of healthcare, with a managerial perspective of getting 'tasks' done as cheaply as possible, quality healthcare will not be achieved. Sadly of course if pay and conditions improved, recruitment and retention would improve (saving money) and as we all know expert nurses provide not only a high standard of care but improve health outcomes, saving even more money.

[mysterious_one, ASN, RN]

Curious, mysterious one, in 18 years of living here in the states, why don't you have your citizenship?

In order for me to become a US citizen I would have to give up my German citizen ship. I have a brother living in Germany that is mentally challenged, who is now looked after by my aging parents, there may be a need for me to go back to take care of him. Also as a green card holder, I am paying taxes and contributing to the American economy just like any other American.

[Music in My Heart]

Clearly whoever said that has no idea about immigration requirements, including labor certification, which set minimum pay levels.

Because we all know that (a) increasing supply does not affect prevailing wages, (b) that employers scrupulously follow the regulations, and © that the government arduously enforces them?

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

Thank you to everybody who participated in this poll, your input is most appreciated. Dont forget to read the updates on my blog a very interesting discussion has occured on one entry and I would welcome more input I will let the poll run for a until the end of April then I will close and review findings

A link to my blog is under my signature line.

[babs123]

I'm surprised the language issues weren't listed in this poll. That is my biggest and really only blanket complaint about foreign nurses.

The written policy at my hospital is to speak English in the clincial/patient care setting. Exceptions to that are when the care giver is speaking in the same language as the non-English speaking patient or, when the employee is taking a break/lunch.

I work in the O.R. and the PCA's are hispanic and speak Spanish and generally need someone to translate instructions. And, yes, errors have happened --eg., taking a speciman to one department vs. another department or setting up the operating room incorrectly. The R.N.'s are mainly Philipino -- they speak Tagala and no one challenges (management included) them to behave professionally and follow company policy.

To be more international, it would be nice if I spoke Spanish, Tagala, Vietnamese, Chinese or any of Middle Eastern dialects that make up our patient mix, but I don't. Which ones should I choose? How about those "professionals" learning and using the language of the policy of the company.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

Thank you for all your responses. thread now closed