I thought there's a shortage of nurses in the Philippines??

lawrence01 · Sep 5, 2007

There never was a nursing shortage. Quite the opposite, really.

How can the Philippines have a nursing shortage if there are thousands that passes the NLE boards every 6 mos.?

There's a glut of licensed nurses out there. There aren't just too many hospitals in the first place and hospitals don't really hire as much nurses as they should also. They only hire on what they can afford to give salaries. They are already 'budgeting' as it is by accepting volunteers and so-called paid trainings to them. These are extra hands for nothing and they even get paid for some that tells that its for 'training'.

Also, w/ the thousands that gets licensed 2x a year it's really a surprise that a few or some are still hiring. Yes, a few are still are, albeit hard to come by. If what they hired before are all w/ 2 year contracts and there are much less hospitals than there are nurses being churned out there really should be freeze-hires all-over.

There's no nursing shortage. There's a hospital shortage more likely and if the new law comes to effect to allow patients of private hospitals to leave and just give promissory notes, there will be more hospitals shutting down.

mheng · Sep 5, 2007

true! i had 10 CVs sent to almost 5 hospitals near my place and it's been 2 months, nobody called... My parents are encouraging me to apply for an NCLEX examination already and start reviewing for it...

suzanne4, RN · Sep 5, 2007

Sorry, but you may with to reconsider what you are going to do. Even if you take and pass the NCLEX exam, you are talking of a couple of years before you will be able to work in the US. A license alone does not permit you to work in the US, you must apply for a get a green card to work in the US, and there are many more applicants than there are visas, more than ten fold over.

It has been a well known fact for years that there are more nurses than your country actually can use. You may find that you can get a job in your country on some of the smaller islands, or you may wish to consider another country to work in.

AstonishiaInlimbo · Sep 6, 2007

There is a shortage of nurses and doctors in the indigenous areas of the Philippines...

the princess · Sep 6, 2007

there's no shortage of nurses there. how can they be short when they have too much supply? they just don't want to give the chanc to nurse applicants....they'd rather put the peso in their pockets...

coz the hospital setting in the Philippines is not like overseas...the poor nurses left there are so abused, physically and mentally. the nurse:patient ratio is almost like what you deal in the LTC,1:>20...that's just the acute care setting in the Philippines esp. in the regional/public hospitals, Med-Surg...i saw before ICU ratio is 1:4-6...if you go to posh hospitals in Metro Manila, where some has tele units, applicants will still undergo tremedous testing, nursing and psychological...it's like having their license is not enough test for these fellow nurses...and..it's WHOM you know, not WHAT you know there...plus the budget...the truth? the hospitals have budgets...but they're in someone's pocket and what nots, not for the development of the hospital and the employees, esp. nurses...they have more higher ups than nurses who'll deliver the care...medicines, you can only find so so generics in public hospitals...oh and yes, you have to go out and buy your meds so you won't miss a dose...that's in the public hospitals...in private hospitals, you won't get in the facility if you're not a graduate of a prestgious school...what about the graduates of the less-exclusive schools but passed the board exam? check their transcripts....there is too much descrimination in our country, it sucks to go out and apply and you won't be given the chance when you know you're at par with them...you just didn't graduate in that exclusive school, just in that rural provincial school of nursing......wanna bet?

mheng · Sep 6, 2007

sad but thanks suzanne... so its better for me to work here first before starting on my NCLEX application?

lawrence01 · Sep 6, 2007

There is a shortage of nurses and doctors in the indigenous areas of the Philippines...

I am sorry but I respectfully disagree. There is no shortage of any health care personnel in the PH. Urban, rural or otherwise.

It is just that the Gov't cannot afford to give salaries to HC personnel and maintain a hospital and the nurses and doctors would just not work for free. Nurses and Doctors just don't want to work for free or not be compensated and risk of loosing their licenses because of the poor conditions of some Gov't owned hospitals. You can't blame them, esp. if they educated themselves out of their own pockets. If this were Gov't sponsored doctors and nurses the Gov't may have a case to retain them by force but even their Gov't sponsored HC personnels are also leaving them and word is that they were among the first ones to just pack it up, w/c further accentuates that it is the poor working conditions and very low wages that was the root of it all. Then it just became a vicious cycle.

The Gov't is just making it appear that the hospitals in rural areas are closing up because there is no personnel but the truth is nurses, doctors and other ancillary HC personnel are just fed up on being under-compensated and w/ poor conditions that it wouldn't matter if there was a hospital or none.

If you've been to any Gov't hospital in Metro Manila, you will know that there is generally a great difference between a Gov't and a private hospital. If that's the best on what the Gov't can do, then just imagine what conditions are there, in far away provinces.

lenjoy03, RN · Sep 6, 2007

It is just that the Gov't cannot afford to give salaries to HC personnel and maintain a hospital and the nurses and doctors would just not work for free.

Yup! That's the number one reason.... salary is really a big factor! Some of our nurses and future nurses took this course for its "easy money" and good way to go abroad to help their families.. Now, if ever they'll be assign in a community that has a low pay, some if not all will definitely live the area! They didn't study to have this life! But still there are dedicated healthcare provider that can stand the low salaries.

Regarding the hospital issue... Its hard to find a job in private hospitals because of budget shortage! For examply, they only alot P********* for nurses in their hospital! If they had hired to many employee, the budget will change and some hospitals can't afford it!

I wonder how they come up with the idea on not holding patient and can use promisory notes! Service is important in healthcare profession but we should also be practical! Not all want to pay their debts especially if it caused a fortune! The healthcare industry might die because of this! It has more disadvantage than advantage!

Some people will choose to be in a private hospital instead of just a government hospital even without money because they can always use a promissory note! Then what's next? How can the hospital run after that person with so much hospital bills if they really dont want to pay? It would be ok if the hospital can reimburse it from DOH or any government agencies!

suzanne4, RN · Sep 6, 2007

sad but thanks suzanne... so its better for me to work here first before starting on my NCLEX application?

You are going to find it difficult to find work in your country, and it is going to be a couple of years for you to get to the US, and that is not guaranteed. You may wish to consider other countries first to get the experience in place.

You are going to be up against many, many from your country that wish to work in the US, and there are less than 10,000 visas available per year for those from your country. Suspect that there are more than 10 times that number now waiting in one form or another. Just is not going to happen as quickly as some want, and for some, it is not going to happen.

lawrence01 · Sep 6, 2007

Yup! That's the number one reason.... salary is really a big factor! Some of our nurses and future nurses took this course for its "easy money" and good way to go abroad to help their families.. Now, if ever they'll be assign in a community that has a low pay, some if not all will definitely live the area! They didn't study to have this life! But still there are dedicated healthcare provider that can stand the low salaries.
Regarding the hospital issue... Its hard to find a job in private hospitals because of budget shortage! For examply, they only alot P********* for nurses in their hospital! If they had hired to many employee, the budget will change and some hospitals can't afford it!
I wonder how they come up with the idea on not holding patient and can use promisory notes! Service is important in healthcare profession but we should also be practical! Not all want to pay their debts especially if it caused a fortune! The healthcare industry might die because of this! It has more disadvantage than advantage!
Some people will choose to be in a private hospital instead of just a government hospital even without money because they can always use a promissory note! Then what's next? How can the hospital run after that person with so much hospital bills if they really dont want to pay? It would be ok if the hospital can reimburse it from DOH or any government agencies!

No, they can't. The DOH/Gov't can't even afford to maintain their own hospitals.

Unfortunately, this is happening for years that is why HC personnels were leaving in the 1st place. It's really not just the salary but the working condition and lack of proper equipment and facilities. There are many unfit hospitals out there, private and Gov't. The farther they are from the metropolitan areas the more rug-tugged it gets. These are the ones that are shutting down and the HC personnel knew they were unfit overtime and chose to not be part of it. That's why they leave. They realize that they risk their licenses if they stay put and 'go with the flow', that's why they rather leave and indirectly force these hospitals to shut-down. HC personnels know that the 1st thing to do is to do no harm to patients and if the hospitals are perceived to do more harm than good then better that there should be none at all.

The Phil. HC industry begun deteriorating years-decades ago but if this new law would take effect then this would be the last straw that will break the camel's back.

Seems like they are not satisfied that they are providing inefficient health care to the masses but now they want to destroy private heath care as well.

lenjoy03, RN · Sep 6, 2007

No, they can't. The DOH/Gov't can't even afford to maintain their own hospitals.

Sad to say only 1% which should me 5% or more of the national budget is alotted for healthcare...