Help me understand

loryn · Aug 12, 2006

I'm trying to write this the best way without it coming off wrong. There is a large influx of nurses coming to America from the Phillipines to work. It's good because there's a shortage here and it's not like American nurses are suffering for jobs at the hands of increased immigration - yet. I've also been reading about a dire shortage of nurses in the Phillipines, so why are so many leaving there to come here when the shortage there is worse than the shortage here? I'm just trying to understand the mass exodus. Is it wages? It's an awfully long way from there to here. Not like Canada or Jamaica or somewhere closer. I'm just trying to understand the reasons why. Please don't think me prejudiced or anything.
Thanks in advance for the replies!

Everything from Politics, Wages, Compensation, Poor living Condition, etc. add to the many reasons why Filipinos migrate abroad to find a better future for their famnilies.

A regular nurse here earns a monthly of $200-300, compared to what they will be receiving in the US ($3000-4000), aside the many benefits an immigrant worker gets. More importantly, nurses bound for the United States are allowed to bring their spouses and children with them. They are guaranteed working visas and the opportunity to become permanent residents and citizens after a few years.

It's not only limited in the field of Nursing, other skilled workers as well.

For a recent survey, 3 out of 10 Filipinos want to leave RP. http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=14405

Loryn

tantrum · Aug 13, 2006

Don't believe the media hype or distortions coming from politicians or so-called health experts trying to paint a doomsday scenario. There is no shortage of nurses in the Philippines. What we have is a shortage of Nursing position and the remaining positions salaries are very low (some are working or volunteering for free). Some are even paying to get clinical experience. The economy is the reason why they cannot create jobs or hire more people locally as that is the only place where they can cut in their budget (salaries of employees). The gov't is the biggest employer in the Philippines and they actually pay more than the private hospitals (which does not say much as all wages there sucks).

The so-called experts are relying on OLD and OBSOLETE data regarding manpower shortage. According to the LATEST data from the Philippines' CHED (Comm for Higher Education), there are more than 292,000 Nursing students right now. There are more than 400 nursing schools across the islands. There were more than 40,000 examinees in the latest (June 2006) exams and there will be about the same number come December (they give the test twice a year). Granted that only 17,000 passed the exams, if you add the December passers, you will get more than 30,000 RNs in a year. So, I'm not impressed with the 48,000 over 10 years number that immigrated to the US. If Philippines is closer to the US like Mexico and Jamaica, there will be a lot more who will attempt to immigrate.

What they should worry about is improvement in quality of teaching and that is the fault of regulatory bodies and not the students who just want to help their families by being a professional in another country.

NJNursing, ASN, RN · Aug 13, 2006

The information I had gotten this from was this month's American Journal of Nursing. I'd like to hope that their information isn't skewed and/or outdated. If I can land my hands on the article online, I'll post a link to it. It basically talked about legislation that will take down the limit of immigrant workers an employer can have until 2017 basically saying they can hire any amount of foreign workers they want without a penalty. It then went on to mention that if the law passes how it could potentially make it hard for American nurses to get hired, possible strain on the economy and then the worldwide backlash if nurses start flooding here then starting a trickle down effect causing shortages in their home countries, etc. I just wanted to check the validity of it all.

Thanks for the information - it certainly helps to get another point of view.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 13, 2006

The Philippines ahd always trained many more nurses than they need with the idea that they would work overseas and send money home. And they have been doing this for more than thirty years, it is definitely not anything new that has just started happening on their end.

What has happened is that the US is now fast-tracking RN green cards, so it has made it more advantageous for many to take advantage of. In many careers, it takes about five years to get the green card. For the RN, one or even less.

And US salaries have gone up quite a bit over the past few years amking it more attractive for some. Same as the increase in the number of US students that want to go to nursing school. Twenty years ago, you could get free tuition with a grant if you did not have a BS already.

tantrum · Aug 14, 2006

The information I had gotten this from was this month's American Journal of Nursing. I'd like to hope that their information isn't skewed and/or outdated. If I can land my hands on the article online, I'll post a link to it. It basically talked about legislation that will take down the limit of immigrant workers an employer can have until 2017 basically saying they can hire any amount of foreign workers they want without a penalty. It then went on to mention that if the law passes how it could potentially make it hard for American nurses to get hired, possible strain on the economy and then the worldwide backlash if nurses start flooding here then starting a trickle down effect causing shortages in their home countries, etc. I just wanted to check the validity of it all.
Thanks for the information - it certainly helps to get another point of view.

The proposed legislation that was attached to the SENATE version of the Immigration BILL is just that, a proposal. The immigration bill is going nowhwere as this is an election year and politicians are not going to touch this bills until next year. The limit on immigration will stay and the extra 50,000 visas signed on by Pres. Bush early this year will be used up late this year. Once they are used (visas), there will be a retrogression and unless there is a Congressional action, Nurses who want to immigrate will have to wait at least 4-5 years to be sponsored. Even if they remove the limits, there will not be an exponential rise in the number of Nurses as NCLEX (which might be the requirement in the future for immigration and not CGFNS) passing rate for foreigners is just 50%. Although I agree that it might hurt some African countries like South Africa, the Philippines is producing quite enough Nurses. Whether Filipino nurses leave or not will not improve or change their condition as the government there is too slow in improving their pay (worse than many gov't employees).

caloy · Sep 3, 2006

Even according to our (Phil) Department of Health website (I researched this when i was student - just last year); there is no shortage of nurses here in the philippines.

A couple of years ago, there was a move by the politicians to prevent nurses from leaving the country unless they have at least 2 years experience. According to another source, if this happens there would be a lot of unemployed nurses because there would be more graduates than available nursing positions.

If you surf the internet (exclude articles with political tone or connected to a government); you would see a lot of articles that say that the phils produce more nurses than they need. In fact, i just read one recently that state that the nurses going to the US deplete other countries of their nurses; with the exception of the PHILIPPINES.

Plus, the number of student nurses graduating each year keeps on growing and enrollment also keeps on growing. In our school, the batch ahead of us only had 28 students; our batch had 105, the next batch 500 (i'm not kidding). We keep on growing and growing.

Nurses going to other countries benefit the country more because of their remittances to their families back home. A huge part of the phil economy depends on filipinos working overseas.

It's really good to see other people asking questions to see other people's points of view. As a nurse in a foreign land (phil nurse about to work in the US), it makes me feel less fearful about being accepted.

Thanks

one_day_at_a_time · Oct 13, 2006

Hi NJNursing!

I'm currently in the philippines studying to be a nurse (hopefully!)

I've also been in the US a number of times (before I started nursing, mind you ^.^) and I can honestly say that the nursing shortage in the US is much worse than what I've seen in other countries (Japan, China & Philippines) One important point, a lot of American nurses leave the profession quite early, usually after staying less than ten years. Of course, it might be that they decided to pursue another career, had children, etc but it's also because they work too many hours. The pay is quite good but after working 3p-11p with an extension 11p-7a kind of shifts, it would certainly burn out anyone, even the healthiest nurses.

On the other hand, other nurses work hard to get to the US (for the pay!) and they are willing to work long hours & endure night duties just to improve their lot in life, myself included... ^.^

am17sg05 · Oct 13, 2006

I'm trying to write this the best way without it coming off wrong. There is a large influx of nurses coming to America from the Phillipines to work. It's good because there's a shortage here and it's not like American nurses are suffering for jobs at the hands of increased immigration - yet. I've also been reading about a dire shortage of nurses in the Phillipines, so why are so many leaving there to come here when the shortage there is worse than the shortage here? I'm just trying to understand the mass exodus. Is it wages? It's an awfully long way from there to here. Not like Canada or Jamaica or somewhere closer. I'm just trying to understand the reasons why. Please don't think me prejudiced or anything.
i came from the philippines also and the reason why my family came here in the us is to provide a better future for my kids.in the phils,i work as a nurse earning $200-300/mo and my husband is a computer programmer earning $300-400/month.we already went into a point wherein we realized we cannot send our kids to a good school because of our income(even if we do not pay the rent anymore because it's my parents' apt).we do not want our kids to ask us one day"you came from a good school,why didn't you send us there?"this would really break my heart....