Getting visa for those trained as LPNs in the Philippines

Fiona59 · Aug 19, 2008

My province has some of the most stringent licensing regulations in Canada. The PNs educated here are highly trained and educated. First year university courses are included in the programme.

Many of the BScN's educated in the Phillipines are only able to obtain PN practice permits in my province, despite their degree and required two years work experience at home.

Does your PN education come anywhere close to this? Medication administration & preparation, wound care, staple/suture removal, insertion removal of catheters, charting, patient care, time management, personel management are considered basic training here for a PN.

I just want you to know there is a lot more to being an LPN than being able to pass an exam. We are educated, highly skilled, professional nurses who work in acute care, public health, rehab, and LTC.

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Aug 19, 2008

In my home state, LPNs are charged with the care of up to 32 patients per shift. Not only that working in a long term care has more regulations than an industry other than a nuclear plant. If you don't follow the regulations you are fired. The PN program I taught at one of the last rotations was doing a med pass with an instructor ( me) overseeing them, this was after doing medication adminstration on a Medical Surgical Floor. I had a hard time finding patients since the preference always went to the RN student. Very few LPNs work in the hospital and when they do they tend to work in clinics.

Since the RN students are finding it difficult to fiind clinical experience where are all these phillipine students getting over 945 hours of clinical experience. Where are you finding Masters prepared instructors ?

I am so sorry you are finding it difficult to believe that your school is not being honest with you. Read the posts here, the qualified BSN RN students are not getting visas, why would LPNs be taken over more qualified nurses.

As Suzanne stated spread the word, I do agree with your Dean not to read unverfied information of the internet, but Suzanne is a moderator on a website where all the owner is verfied.

jonRNMD · Aug 19, 2008

all are liers.... why are you discouraging us....???
thousand of lpn's will be graduated this year...
and this is really disappointing us...
but i'm asking so many reasons
why we can't work in US??
like our school..i really fight with my dean this week..
but he says... i can double check the TESDA list if my school exist there.. and it does!!!!
plus we also have an affiliate hospitals in california...
which our school can recommend us....i forgot to ask the hospital but i will try to post it tomorrow...
why there is such an NLEX-PN here in the Phil. and why are there so many PN's taking the review if after passing it ,,
we can't able to work in the US huh???

majo-villamer,

LPN's could not be petitioned for a greencard. Im sorry but that is the truth....you can only work in the US as an LPN if you already have a greencard or you are a US citizen. open your eyes to the truth.....

suzanne4, RN · Aug 20, 2008

TESDA does not meet the requirements for the US and has nothing to do with immigration in the US. Your school is one of vocational or technical training, it is not for professional nurses as deemed by the US government.

Your country also does not recognize the training for licensure there.

We are sorry that your wonderful dean is giving you poor information, but if you notice, that the majority of posters here are actually from the Philippines and are telling you the same thing.

Sure, your program may permit you to test for the PN license, but it will most certainly not get you a visa to work in the US legally. One very important thing that they forgot to tell you is that there are no shortages of LPNs in this country, or in Canada. This training will not get you a visa for working as a nurse in any country in the world. All are requiring that you have RN after your name.

Thread being close since all questions have been answered.

oobie · Aug 20, 2008

all are liers.... why are you discouraging us....???
thousand of lpn's will be graduated this year...
and this is really disappointing us...
but i'm asking so many reasons
why we can't work in US??
like our school..i really fight with my dean this week..
but he says... i can double check the TESDA list if my school exist there.. and it does!!!!
plus we also have an affiliate hospitals in california...
which our school can recommend us....i forgot to ask the hospital but i will try to post it tomorrow...
why there is such an NLEX-PN here in the Phil. and why are there so many PN's taking the review if after passing it ,,
we can't able to work in the US huh???

They say the truth always hurts.. though you feel its unfair, it is still the TRUTH!

I suggest you read the sticky on the Philippine Nursing forum.

Listen to what your colleagues here are trying to shed light into.

If you want more proof, google search for PNA's comment about this.

Listen and hear.:heartbeat

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Aug 20, 2008

philippine nurses association - 6.27.2008

position paper opposing institution of practical nursing program in the philippines

we, the nursing sector representing all the nursing associations, specialty groups and other nursing institutions from public and private sectors, declare our strong objection to the institution of practical nursing (pn) program and further oppose the insertion of pn by ched through a proposed ladderization of the nursing curriculum. we deplore moves that impose upon the nursing profession, critical proposals like the pn program that gravely impact our nursing profession already saddled with a host of serious problems that need immediate meaningful intervention.

well-trained health workers save lives! (who, 2006). this is the human resource for health (hrh) development philosophy currently pursued around the world espoused by the world health organization. it seems that the current efforts on health human resource development are not harmonized with this dictum. philippine trained nurses have been and are in high demand globally particularly because of the quality of professional nurses being produced in the country. to date, the philippines may be the only country with a single preparation at the bachelor of science in nursing level, which prepares professional nurses for service, academic and leadership positions here and abroad. there is definitely a global demand for professional nurses, not for practical nurses.

we are unequivocally opposed to the institution of practical nursing on three major points:

1. there is no local demand nor positions for practical nurses within the philippine health care delivery system particularly in the light of the oversupply of nurses and subsequent unemployment of graduate nurses;

2. there is no global demand for foreign-trained practical nurses, only for professional nurses; and

3. there is no licensure of practical nurses provided for in the philippine nursing act (ra 9173) and therefore the institution of practical nursing programs has no legal basis.

to further substantiate these points, we offer the following:

1. there is already an oversupply of different types of health workers in the philippine health care system, with nurses comprising the biggest number. adding another type of health worker will further bloat the health manpower amidst a market unable to absorb this production level. we have about 65,000 newly registered nurses just in 2007. in the coming years, we expect some 100,000 new hopefuls who will be churned out yearly by the country's 460 nursing schools many of whom will be unemployed. this does not even consider the vast numbers who do not pass.

2. as it is, the quality of nursing education is already deteriorating because of the proliferation of poor performing nursing schools that are not effectively monitored and regulated. by ched's account, only 12 nursing programs are recognized as excellent while an additional 18 were identified as highly performing in terms of board performance and quality to ensure that their students acquire the nursing competencies to deliver quality health care. there is not enough training capacity within the country with only about 20 percent of about 1,600 hospitals that have formal training capacities. with the introduction of the practical nursing program, we will further tax the already overburdened training hospitals and nurse preceptors. in the end, the safety and well-being of the patient is compromised and endangered.

3. the protection of public safety is a key policy goal that philippine nursing shares with all other health professions. the filipino people who will benefit from well trained human resources should likewise be a major concern of education, business and other sectors.

4. many countries notably, usa, canada and uk, are currently considering adopting a single standardized nursing program such as what we have in the philippines. in canada, a definite move towards a single bsn preparation for their nurses is happening. in view of this, introducing the pn program is a global trend regression and untenable.

we are convinced that the proposal to introduce the pn may not be an effective economic strategy. instead of creating more jobs, it will lead to more unemployment and exploitation by unscrupulous businessmen who see this as another income opportunity in enrolling young people without real job opportunities both here and abroad.

the bigger stake here is the welfare of would-be enrollees, the unemployed nurses, and ultimately, the welfare and safety of the filipino patient.

we believe that there are already viable propositions that we need to revisit and review to effectively address the critical issues confronting nursing systems (both practice and education, including all hrh involved in the provision of nursing services) as part of the bigger picture of a national health situation just as grim. the proposed introduction of the pn program is not part of the solution. we therefore strongly recommend that moratorium on the operation of existing practical nursing program be imposed and that serious review of this program be undertaken in proper consultation with the critical stakeholders to close existing pn programs that have no mandate. it is not fair to urge for the revision of the philippine nursing law just to legitimize these programs.

we reiterate our firm objection to the institution of practical nursing program in the philippines to promote a progressive nation.

institutionalizing practical nursing is a step backward in progress ... not forward!

dr. leah primitiva g. samaco-paquiz

pna national president