Importing nurses from the Phillipines

[Gardengal]

My hospital is working on getting nurses from the Phillipines to fill some of our needs. We have been in the paper process for almost a year and now it looks like we actually will be getting some of these nurses in the next few months. Has anyone else gone this route? What were your challenges and surprizes. What did you discover you worried about needlessly?

[apols_uk]

i have passed the nclex but i can see myself being humiliated by american nurses. well not all of them but the discussion never stop on picking at us.

[Ex130Load]

I agree with previous postings Norway. Your English is more than adequate. Yes UK, some natives will always pick on foreigners. That's a universal problem is my experience.

I've experienced prejudice in both of your countries simply because I was American. Didn't really like it, but just kept "a stiff upper lip" and tried to to blend in and not offend local sensitivities. If given enough time, I was usually accepted and welcomed on increasingly friendlier terms during subsequent visits.

There seems to be a natural tendency to pick on those different from us, no matter where you are. Recommend you just keep on trying because good performance and friendliness can often times can win'em over with persistence.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Please.....

Prejudice is universal.

Southern nurses/people vs Northern nurses/people

Night shift vs. Days

newbies vs oldbies

suits vs sneakers

Religious vs Spiritual vs Atheist/Agnostic

Conservative vs Liberal

Easterners vs Westerners

Coastals vs Landlocked

CNA vs HHA vs LPN/LVN vs RN vs ADN vs BSN vs............

ad nauseam

CAN'T WE ALL JUST CHILL AND GET ALONG!!!!!!!!!

PS- so proud of all foreign nurses that even attempt to understand an American english speaking bulletin board - love you. Gads, I don't even understand some of the slang on here.

[Furball]

Naaaaaaw...that would be too boring;)

[adrienurse, LPN]

Yours is not a new "issue". Nurses have been coming abroad from the Phillipines for over 30 years as a means to remedy OUR staffing problems. This is not the first nursing shortage.

For the last few days, I have been orienting a nurse who has recently come from the Phillipines. This is her first job in North America. She speaks beautiful English and has caught on very quickly to the routine (this can't be easy when one is shifing from surgical nursing to psychogeriatrics.) I get the feeling that nurses from the Phillipines are taught to adapt easily to change. Although she does not know all her drugs bu their local brand names she knows them very well by there generic names. I find her to be bright, organized and ready to learn new things. This also is not a unique experience that I have had with foreign nurses.

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

Well, here is my 2 cents worth. I have worked with all types of nurses when I lived in S. Florida. I truly enjoyed working with the different cultures, it is quite interesting and we can all learn from each other. Sometimes a foreign nurse will botch up the language, but if everyone can keep a sense of humor then it really isn't a problem. I can remember working with some Fillipino nurses and they were excellent, so was the Equadorian Lab Tech. and the ER nurses from Ireland, the Dr. from S. Africa too.

One of the ways we all broke the ice was to have a pot luck dinner, food is a great way to meet different people and experience different cultures and their cuisine.

[RNConnieF]

I have worked with nurses from several countries usually with good results. The only problems I have run into are language issues and the very occasional cultural clash,usually due to ignorance on my part. I have NEVER found a foreign nurse to be under educated or under qualified.

[EXOTIC NURSE, RN]

I never knew there was not a nursing shortage in other countries, I thought it was world wide. That is an interesting topic I think I will research for my next class project. AS far as apols_uk I disagree with you about your statement that your race of people are saving the nursing profession oops let me go to the dictionary and make sure I spelled that correctly.....(whatever) I think that all nurses regardless of race or creed should work together as a team then just maybe all the lil barriers we have can be crossed unitedly. I enjoy working with all races of nurses. Most phillipino nurses I have worked with have been very good nurses but they have had a hard way to go here in America, true sometimes there is a language barrier but not always. You find good and bad nurses in all races. Well that is my opinion.....

[baseline]

I have worked in places where there are many different nurses from many different countries. Some are good, some are great and some aren't that hot. As far as language barriers, I have that with more physicians than nurses. Welcome the help, enjoy better staffing, and help them as you would help anyone adjust to being in a new country and a long way from home...........

And have fun!!! The philipino nurses I have known were alot of fun to be around!!! As well as being good nurses.

[BBnurse34]

I have enjoyed working with nurse from the Philipines. They have been very open about explaining their culture.

I don't like it when anyone converses in a foreign language at the nurse's station, though. Makes me paranoid.

[sunnygirl272]

Originally posted by jed

Most nurses in the US originated from the phillipines. In fact, close to 80 % !! Since you're in Norway you wouldn't know.

i have had very limited oportunity to work with nurses originating from outside the US...BUT!!!!!!!!

where did you obtain this statistic, jed?

[jed]

Florry----I may threw a low blow on you about your english, but your english is adequate......It was just merely to slap your wrist a bit. I was just outraged about your post. Everything you said on the 1st post was offensive to philippine nurses. I understand that It was your experiences, but you need to choose carefully on how you go about saying it here so that you don't offend anyone here. Don't make it sound like it is bad to work with philippine nurses. Try to put yourself on the other side and anticipate how you would react. And you're welcome here like every nurses.

Sjoe----Trade your shoes first and reread the post by Florry and see how would you react. UK was probably just outraged too.

I know that language barrier can be hard too, especially harder for someone who's adapting to another language, but we all do speak the same thing in terms of what we all required us to do as a nurse. I hope anyone could agree.