Getting BSN in Philippines as U.S Citizen and come back?

steppybay · Jul 30, 2016

Thank you guys for the replies! Btw I am a guy XDD. You shouldn't assume things XD. Yeah Ill definitely let my mom know. The trouble is convincing her to let me go to school here in AZ because she wants me to go to school in the Philippines so bad that she even already has a loan for a condo there :/. I guess she just has so much ego or pride about her home country that she thinks its the best

Let your mom read this, it was written back in 2013 and still holds true today (I didn't write it), I think you'll find your mom in the article:

https://allnurses.com/international-nursing/end-of-the-885162.html

Besides, the slow demand for PH nurses if you want to call it that is just one factor to consider to think of getting your nursing degree in the States.

The other factor is the low rate for first-time NCLEX RN passers from the PH (30-35%) (and most other foreign countries) which the statistics are well documented by the NCLEX board and even some individual state's stats which in comparison for US educated grads and nurses of 80-85% or higher.

Yes, you will read of those that took the NCLEX for the first time and passed with 75 questions but that's the 30-35% that passed, leaving 65-70% that didn't make it and their chances to pass beyond the first time drops down to 15%. You can read those on the NCLEX forums who posts a lot of their efforts and yes, some do pass, but there's a higher percentage who never re-post their passing at all, thus assuming, they are the 15% that didn't make it.

Those posters are also of US citizenship and took the cheaper cost of getting the BSN, but at what price in the long run? 4 years down the drain? You don't want to be in the 65-70% of not passing the NCLEX and with your mom pinning all her hopes on you passing.

The other factor is better edge to obtain a nursing job especially if one wants to work in the hospital setting versus the non-hospital positions.

It's now more the exception than the rule for most US hospitals hiring those with foreign BSN's.

Those are the chances you can take going with the non-US degree.

You're in AZ so maybe it's not as bad if that's going to be the state you will plant your roots into for decades to come, but if you're looking to get in the CA job market, it's very iffy.

You should look into getting your license (by first time or endorsement) into CA, that it's not the cheapest, easiest and quickest route to take any more, that went out in 2011 when CA started to enforce the concurrency rules, which has left thousands upon thousands going to other easier states like NY and TX.

Vanfitnurse hit everything right on the nail head.

PinayUSA · Jul 30, 2016

Currently if wanting to live and work in California then many IEN nurses but especially those from the Philippines are having issues

OP is asking about Arizona. FYI there are 50 states in the USA, California is just 1/50th of them.

I have noticed many people from Philippines think Canada is a state and part of the USA.

PinayUSA · Jul 30, 2016

Let your mom read this, it was written back in 2013 and still holds true today (I didn't write it), I think you'll find your mom in the article:
https://allnurses.com/international-nursing/end-of-the-885162.html
Besides, the slow demand for PH nurses if you want to call it that is just one factor to consider to think of getting your nursing degree in the States.
The other factor is the low rate for first-time NCLEX RN passers from the PH (30-35%) (and most other foreign countries) which the statistics are well documented by the NCLEX board and even some individual state's stats which in comparison for US educated grads and nurses of 80-85% or higher.
.

I have read that on NSNB website about the passing rate. I think the low pass rate is in part to all the international students over the world taking the NCLEX and not passing, especially those from non English like Russia , etc.

From what I have seen personally over the half dozen nurses I know personally here they all passed, granted two of them did not pass first time. But it seems as if since the test is a American English based test those who studied using books in English have a much higher passing rate, versus those who live in countries where English is not the official language. In Philippines English is the business language and almost everything is in English.

PinayUSA · Jul 30, 2016

Always tak your advice from a guy who lives in Texas and isn't a nurse.
Why wouldn't you?

A international traveler and a successful business man who has many years experience at business and has a very good grasp on the Philippines culture. I have spent almost 3 years in Philippines in the last 9 years. Just a FYI. And I am very updated on the immigration and Texas BON rules and regulation for applying for NCLEX.

PinayUSA · Jul 30, 2016

Thank you guys for the replies! Btw I am a guy XDD. You shouldn't assume things XD. Yeah Ill definitely let my mom know. The trouble is convincing her to let me go to school here in AZ because she wants me to go to school in the Philippines so bad that she even already has a loan for a condo there :/. I guess she just has so much ego or pride about her home country that she thinks its the best

IF you are male then it a game changer. It a no brainer for you to go to school in Philippines. I suspect your mother has long range goals for you. Plus she can hire a live in helper for about $80 per month who can cook, clean, shop, mow, etc while you concentrate on your studies.

I wouldn't be surprised if she is trying to guide your love life as well where you meet a more traditional woman, In Philippines Man is the King, it just their tradition and way of life.

Speak with your mother and discuss with her what is on your mind and maybe you and her can have meeting of the minds. I am 100% pure American with no family from Philippines, just ties back to Texas, From what I have known from spending a lot of time in the Philippines and learning the culture, this would be a great plan for you. I would have zero reservations sending a child of mine to PHilippines for a BSN.

Good Luck and wish you the best.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Jul 30, 2016

How about that last part? Are you a nurse?

A international traveler and a successful business man who has many years experience at business and has a very good grasp on the Philippines culture. I have spent almost 3 years in Philippines in the last 9 years. Just a FYI. And I am very updated on the immigration and Texas BON rules and regulation for applying for NCLEX.

PinayUSA · Jul 30, 2016

It's not hard.. it just involvesa lot of paper work. I graduated in the philippines and i have a US lisence.
What people here in the philippines are having a hard time with is obtaining visas to the US to put those lisences to use.

Bingo, That is issue.

You can't just buy a plane ticket and come to the USA if you live in Philippines. You have to apply for a visa and about the only way to get to the USA is thru a family visa or Spousal/Fiance visa.

You can apply for a Tourist Visa but the odds are slim to none you will get one, especially if you are young, unless your have a sizeable income and real estate and ties to your country.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 30, 2016

Why do you say it's a bad deal? Do you know her parents long term goal for the daughter.
Did you go to school in Philippines?

One of the Golden Rules for Any Immigrant:

- should you EVER want, or have to, work in ANY occupation which requires professional licensing, you MUST obtain related education in the country where the aforementioned license would be active.

It is written literally by tears.

No parental care and concern is a substitute for the fact that grads of the US private diploma mills have better job prospects than BSN grads from any other country, and that the sum of money one has to spend on putting a foreign nursing diploma through CGFNS, TOEFL (whether the applicant native English speaker or not), NCLEX (accounting for low passing rates for foreign-trained RNs, multiply by two or three plus $$ - $$$$ for books and preps), translations and (in some states like California) mandatory courses plus 120 hours of clinical practice easily surpasses all associated costs of ADN in a community college. This all comes before any immigration-related business.

If OP wants to stay in Philippines, getting in school there definitely makes sense. If he did not decide yet, he can do an abroad trip (available in any university with a nursing program, costs in vicinity of $6000 or so, great way to boost GPA, btw). Otherwise, his parents must know better.

And do not even get me starting on them "heavily trying to convince" the OP to go into nursing.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 30, 2016

OP is asking about Arizona. FYI there are 50 states in the USA, California is just 1/50th of them.
I have noticed many people from Philippines think Canada is a state and part of the USA.

I havent seen seen many people from the Philippines confuse Canada to the US I have seen many people from the US think Canada is part of the US.

shulace · Jul 30, 2016

I don't think the NCLEX passing rate should be taken into consideration when deciding on going to school in the Philippines or in the US. I don't believe in being dictated by what the majority is/isn't capable of doing. We're all individuals and what our future holds is up to the decisions we make at present. I'm basing all of this on my own personal experience as a Philippine educate Nurse who passed the NCLEX on my first take.

He's a US citizen and has the freedom to move in and out of the country (US). Like I said in a previous message, us Filipino nurses do not have problems obtaining US Nursing licenses. We encounter difficulty in obtaining visas to the US because it takes so darn long. This equates to an immigration problem not an educational one. Since he doesn't have that problem because he's a US citizen, then ultimately there is no problem with regards to where he's gonna go to school.

If finances are of question then let me break it down.

Credential Evaluation + NCLEX fees are about $700

You only have to sit IELTS if you're in need of a Visa Screen Certificate, this is the document you have to show the US embassy upon interview which he won't need because he's a US citizen. But if you ever do need IELTS it's about $250 and Visa Screen Certificate is about another $550.

shulace · Jul 30, 2016

But here's the ultimate advice for you kid, decide for yourself. Believe me it's easier to admit to and accept failures/wrong decisions in your life if you had made those decisions yourself vs being badgered into it. If they need to convince you to go into nursing school then you need to pause and think about it. Making a decision to study for 4 years for a career that you might not want to pursue in the end is major. I have friends and relatives who, like you, were pushed into it and were ultimately unhappy being nurses despite the financial rewards.

So before deciding where you're gonna pursue your degree think about if you want that degree in the first place.

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Jul 30, 2016

I have read that on NSNB website about the passing rate. I think the low pass rate is in part to all the international students over the world taking the NCLEX and not passing, especially those from non English like Russia , etc.
From what I have seen personally over the half dozen nurses I know personally here they all passed, granted two of them did not pass first time. But it seems as if since the test is a American English based test those who studied using books in English have a much higher passing rate, versus those who live in countries where English is not the official language. In Philippines English is the business language and almost everything is in English.

I just read the NSNB web site the Philippine past rare is 29.6 percent and Russian federation was 29.4? so according to your theory the Philippine nurses should be much higher therefore Russian education is better due to the second language issue. Sweden has a high passing rate and does not use English in medical practice. Could it be the nursing is practiced differently in each country.?