I went to this hospital in Boston to see a friend of mine who just had a baby. In the room, there were 2 nurses talking and they had the tag on them that indicated that they were RNs.
They had a heavy accent and probably from Africa, they were speaking French between them for some reason. So my friend was out for a test and I was sitting in this chair in the room, I asked them where they were from and how long they have been in the states, etc.
I swear to god, I was not able to understand their responses. I mean, one of them have been in the US for over 10 years and I had to ask 3 times to understand what she was saying.
She saw me having hard time understanding, she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and wrote down what she meant. This is what she wrote (remember she is a RN)
Piliiz tel your frenid to full the form after she cames
Now, I can understand having an accent, but I mean how do these people pass NCLEX with this level of English?
Maybe NCLEX used to be much easier 10 years ago?
How does the US Govt allow all these foreign workers when thousands of nurses are unemployed? Or maybe there is abig nurse shortage that we can not see with our eyese? I am reading in other forums that lot of American nurses are working for less than $20/hr.
Why is this being turned into a "black" issue? The woman's English was so poor she had to write down what she needed her to know! There is no sense whatsoever in attacking the OP for this. The color of their skin is completely irrelevant. I'll even go so far to say, if the OP had said these nurses were white, there wouldn't be these demeaning comments.
That being said, while I believe America is a land of opportunity for all, I understand the OP's point.
Ugh, I hate the "FOREIGNERS ARE TAKIN' OUR JEERBBBSS!!!" argument. Don't people realize that we are all human beings in this world? Just because we happened to be born in America doesn't make us inherently better or more capable of being an excellent nurse. I'm sure many of the nurses from the Philippines or Africa or wherever are fine nurses! They still have to pass the NCLEX! I understand the OP had a problem with this particular nurse, and it does seem like she had some problems communicating, but this shouldn't be generalized to all "foreigners." I've met nurses who were from Africa and other places, and they are awesome! So what if they have an accent? If anything, its fun to learn about their culture. Don't be afraid of foreigners "taking your job", just step up to the plate and be ready to compete a little if you have to.
From various sources I heard that NCLEX exam used to be very easy and over the years it became very hard. Either there was too much demand or I don't know.
I once had a foreign nurse friend who told me that back in 2005 she started working in a hospital after passing not the NCLEX but the other one uum, AICPA or something like that. Back in 2005 per her story, the nursing shortage was so bad that they let her started working without passing TOEFL. It took her another several months to pass TOEFL.
Ugh, I hate the "FOREIGNERS ARE TAKIN' OUR JEERBBBSS!!!" argument. Don't people realize that we are all human beings in this world? Just because we happened to be born in America doesn't make us inherently better or more capable of being an excellent nurse. I'm sure many of the nurses from the Philippines or Africa or wherever are fine nurses! They still have to pass the NCLEX! I understand the OP had a problem with this particular nurse, and it does seem like she had some problems communicating, but this shouldn't be generalized to all "foreigners." I've met nurses who were from Africa and other places, and they are awesome! So what if they have an accent? If anything, its fun to learn about their culture. Don't be afraid of foreigners "taking your job", just step up to the plate and be ready to compete a little if you have to.
Nobosy is arguing foreign nurses are bad or not, what we are discussing is why would the govt import all these people at a time when local nurses can not find jobs.
First, he assumed they were from Africa, per his post.
(as a matter of note, often English taught in Africa -British English-is often better than US English)
Second, the nurse has been here for 10 years. This means she probably has a green card/citizenship and Fulfills a useful place in the facility (either good clinician and/or many African pts), or no one has complained. In our customer service culture, I would suspect one of the first two.
Very few foreign nurses stay here that long without becoming naturalized or acquiring a green card, thus should be considered to be on an equal playing field with citizens. This is their home as much as it is yours. In ten years, they have paid taxes (income and/or sales,etc), bought homes and cars, and have contributed to our economy. If they had behaved with disregard of the law, they would have been deported. Thus they are probably better citizens than many born here.
While I have no problem with restriction of current immigration of nurses with regards to the recession, I hold those that have come here previously and tolerated prejudice, often has to work harder, speak better, adapt to our culture, in high regard.
Nobosy is arguing foreign nurses are bad or not, what we are discussing is why would the govt import all these people at a time when local nurses can not find jobs.
This is the question.
Ok, but you used a really poor example. The nurse in your OP is obviously not a recent immigrant or recently licensed nurse. Is your government CURRENTLY importing forgeign nurses? It that's the case, the would be bad, not because someone is forgeign, but because there are American nurses who can't find jobs.
Specializes in med/surg, cardiology, advanced care.
I have worked with many nurses from the Phillipines, male and female at my level 3 trauma center that has nonstop admits day and night. I have found that to a T they are extremely hard workers, do not complain/gossip, and are always willing to help a coworker, usually offering help before being asked, in other words, a dream to work with. If only that were true of my fellow Americans, just sayin...We need to get over our sense of entitlement and remember that most of us have ties to the immigrants that helped build, fought for, and died for this country.
From various sources I heard that NCLEX exam used to be very easy and over the years it became very hard. Either there was too much demand or I don't know.
I once had a foreign nurse friend who told me that back in 2005 she started working in a hospital after passing not the NCLEX but the other one uum, AICPA or something like that. Back in 2005 per her story, the nursing shortage was so bad that they let her started working without passing TOEFL. It took her another several months to pass TOEFL.
Isn't this unbelievable?
Now, I want to yell "bulldust"
The NCLEX has NEVER been easy in the last 20 years. Since or around 2006, ALL nurses have been required to write the NCLEX. Prior to that, Canadian nurses that had passed the Canadian licensure, were permitted to work in a few US border states without passing the NCLEX.
And there was not a severe nursing shortage in 2005 - nor have licensure standards been lowered at ANY time to permit greater numbers of nurses to be licensed in at least the last 20 years.
Ugh, I hate the "FOREIGNERS ARE TAKIN' OUR JEERBBBSS!!!" argument. Don't people realize that we are all human beings in this world? Just because we happened to be born in America doesn't make us inherently better or more capable of being an excellent nurse. I'm sure many of the nurses from the Philippines or Africa or wherever are fine nurses! They still have to pass the NCLEX! I understand the OP had a problem with this particular nurse, and it does seem like she had some problems communicating, but this shouldn't be generalized to all "foreigners." I've met nurses who were from Africa and other places, and they are awesome! So what if they have an accent? If anything, its fun to learn about their culture. Don't be afraid of foreigners "taking your job", just step up to the plate and be ready to compete a little if you have to.
Yeah the troll is at work, most likely. But the issue remains. MollzBSN, you are not aware that nobody cares if you are good or not. It's not about "be ready to compete a little if you have to". It's not about loving and respecting peoples of other cultures (cumbaya).
Your hospital/LTC owners couldn't give a rat's hiney if you are a good nurse, LOL!!!! You are young, and are not a business woman. I am older, a nurse, and a business woman. Sweetie, it's about seeing if you can work towards a global hiring change. Once accomplished, it's easy to cut wages/conditions/care simply because on the whole workers imported from certain countries can be counted on not to care how they are treated, will not advocate for better patient care/working conditions, will not alert anybody of wrong-doing, or ever attempt to do much of anything for their own well-being, because they, for generations have been taught it is not their place to do these things. It is wrong to do these things. Your college level course work on intercultural communications/sociology ought to offer you reference. Big corporate healthcare has done study after study on this, I can assure you cost/benefit analysis they've done tells them that the income gained is worth the risk. They profit tremendously.
You will find out sooner than later, and it will be a real knock to your innocence.
Both of my charge nurses are difficult to understand. One is from Haiti and the other from the Philippines. But you better believe they are the best nurses on our floor. They are incredibly smart and very good with their skills.... Ie they can get IVs in the old dialysis patients on the first try. I have an untold amount of respect for both these ladies. So like another poster said, if we are so upset that American taught nurses are not getting hired perhaps we should step up our programs. I also think we should cut down on the amount of nursing graduates by making entry into school more competitive. Hello? Has anyone ever heard of market over saturation.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Excuse me but
Are you implying that I am lying?
I joined the forum to tell everybody about an incident that will be interest to all nurses looking for a job
I am not in the medical field but I myself am employed and I believe medical and any other fields should not be flooded with foreigners at a time when unemployment is high. really high.
You are indeed accusing a concerned citizen not a troll for sure.
SeeTheMoon
250 Posts
Why is this being turned into a "black" issue? The woman's English was so poor she had to write down what she needed her to know! There is no sense whatsoever in attacking the OP for this. The color of their skin is completely irrelevant. I'll even go so far to say, if the OP had said these nurses were white, there wouldn't be these demeaning comments.
That being said, while I believe America is a land of opportunity for all, I understand the OP's point.