hospital experience dilemma

frustrated_USRN · Jul 19, 2011

In US I think you will still be trained in the hospital that employed you once you get there..

Are there big chances of getting hired in government hospital?

I always preferred the government hospital because they offer higher salary and that you'll have better exposure because they have more patients. However, if you are being offered a staff nurse position in the private institution.. Better grab it! In other countries, they don't count volunteer/probationary and the likes as experience.. When are you set to leave for US?

mrmiyagi · Jul 19, 2011

thanks for the quick reply.

i applied to a staffing agency in the US last year but they're having a hard time because of the changes in the work permits in the US. so i don't have a definite date of going back there.

my chances of getting hired in the government hospital is around 70% while it's 100% on the private. but i'm really concerned of my work experience being at a 90 bed capacity hospital only. i saw some hospitals on the web requiring at least 150 bed capacity.

we're not rich but i can sacrifice salary and stay alive. lol.

btw, i'm close to joining your club of frustrated USRNs. haha.

frustrated_USRN · Jul 19, 2011

hahaha yeah.. join the club!

Welcome!

Your US employer will give you a work permit? wow.. I applied for I-140, that's immigrant Visa under EB3.. Takes a looong time though.. But it's steadily moving now.. I had my training before as a nurse volunteer in a 1,200 ++ bed capacity hospital for 6 months, hoping to get hired as well. However, I don't have anyone to back me up to speed up the hiring process.. Well, I do have a close relative working in the government who is more than willing to be my "backer", but I totally resist that system.. I prefer equality, something like, I can find a work on my own effort with a hospital really considering and looking into my credentials..

Hoping to get a hospital work soon..

So, if you have that opportunity as a staff nurse! Go grab that.. A lot of nurses are dying to get one..

By the way, my efforts working as a volunteer nurse in that big gov't hospital didn't get me anywhere.. doesn't in any way count as an experience..

Except, I really got to use and practice my skills well enough..

mrmiyagi · Jul 19, 2011

that's what they told me. the problem is that immigration is very strict on handing working visa at the moment. so USRN license is pretty useless this time. i'm a little close to burning it. lol.

have you tried other countries? if you've been a volunteer for a year or 2. that would still be something. i know people who got in to other countries with that experience.

i'm still undecided.

it's good that you stick to your principles but we're not in a perfect world, so i suggest you utilize what you have. lol. i'll probably go to hell for that advice.

a lot of nurses are dying to get a 'backer' too.

frustrated_USRN · Jul 19, 2011

i know.. and thanks for the advice too :)

I will, if i still can.. but I'm pretty stubborn about my principles.. and yeah been looking for nursing opportunities outside the country as well.. I really plan to wait for my US Visa instead..

if you happen to have any chance of getting news to whether any country have any job opening for nurses like us without any formal experience yet.. let me know.. :)

mrmiyagi · Jul 19, 2011

sg and nz i think. i sent you a pm.

Daly City RN · Jul 23, 2011

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I hope you will find a U.S. hospital willing to sponsor you for immigration purposes. The way things are now, there is a glut of unemployed U.S. nurses in many parts of the U.S.A. due to the recession. My own (Filipino-American) friends and relatives here in California who have new RN licenses are having a hard time finding their first RN job. It took well over A YEAR for one relative to land that first job because there are so many qualified American nurses looking for the relatively few nursing job openings right now.

The sad truth for Filipino nurses is, why would a U.S. hospital sponsor nurses from abroad if they have so many American nurses applying for jobs right outside their doors every single day?

I worked in a large government-owned trauma center for almost 27 1/2 years here in Northern California. I know of several large private hospitals around here that have closed one or two multi-bed units because they no longer have enough patients with private insurance. Consequently, they have laid off nurses in recent months.

Since retiring from my former government nursing job, I am now working as a nurse educator in a private nursing agency. I train new RNs every month of the year but we don't sponsor foreign nurses for immigration purposes because at any day of the week, we expect an RN to walk in and apply for a job.

The hope for you guys is for the recession to end soon. Then U.S. hospitals will surely need more and more RNs for the aging population of America.

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mrmiyagi · Jul 24, 2011

thanks daly city. that's very useful information about the situation in the US at the moment. so i have no choice but wait and pray. lol.

do hospitals in the US really look at how big the hospital a nurse has worked for, in terms of bed capacity? especially for foreign nurses? i'm really thinking hard about choosing the private hospital here. it's harder to get into their training program compared to the government hospital. they probably have a more organized training.

the private hospital also offers better salary but i'm not really looking at money at this point. i'm more concerned of getting the most out of the "economic-recession-waiting." the private hospital only has a 90-bed capacity though compared to the 200-bed i'm in. it might not look good on my resume.

Daly City RN · Jul 24, 2011

thanks daly city. that's very useful information about the situation in the US at the moment. so i have no choice but wait and pray. lol.

do hospitals in the US really look at how big the hospital a nurse has worked for, in terms of bed capacity? especially for foreign nurses? i'm really thinking hard about choosing the private hospital here. it's harder to get into their training program compared to the government hospital. they probably have a more organized training.
the private hospital also offers better salary but i'm not really looking at money at this point. i'm more concerned of getting the most out of the "economic-recession-waiting." the private hospital only has a 90-bed capacity though compared to the 200-bed i'm in. it might not look good on my resume.

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It may be a good thing if you work in a larger hospital, especially in a prestigious one at that. The government-owned hospital where I worked used to have more than 300 beds but it was reduced to around 250 beds by the time I retired, but it remains one of the busiest hospitals here in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a well-known trauma center. Also, this government-owned hospital is very modern. In fact, to meet California's new tough earthquake code for hospitals, they are building a more modern $800 Million main hospital building to replace the large main hospital building in current use. BTW, if you are curious (the last time I heard) the salary of registered nurses in that hospital is from $50/hour to $70/hour depending on seniority.

With so many qualified and unemployed RNs applying for the relatively few job openings, U.S. hospitals are now in the enviable position to choose only the best RNs with the best and with the most years of experience. I remember in the 1980's and 1990's where U.S. hospitls were begging for RNs. They would hire almost any breathing, warm blooded RN that walked in their doors. This is no longer the case these days. Blame the Great Recession.

You should try hard to get a very good job experience. Distinguish yourself from the pack. Get extra training or certification in nursing. In my former job, I was a staff nurse, a relief charge nurse, a full time charge nurse, a member of different hospital committees, I was a nurse preceptor, I audited patient charts in my day off and I trained other RNs in computer charting, safer medication administrations, etc. More recently I acquired a nationally recognized certification in wound care. It cost the nursing agency where I work $3,500 to send me to the certification class, hotel, food and the examination. The examination was very tough and thank God I passed it. I plan to take more advanced certification in wound care in the near future. In my small humble way, I have distinguished myself from the rest. I am now a nurse educator and a nursing auditor in the nursing agency where I work. The management is great and very supportive of nurses. I love my current job!

Just be patient and good luck to all the Filipino nurses, and to all nurses for that matter.

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DILM · Jul 28, 2011

If I were you, I'd take the risk and stick with the government hospital. You'll have a better experience there since government hospitals generally have more varied cases compared to private ones. The larger bed capacity is also a plus and the 70-80% chance of getting hired is enough to take the risk. Don't worry if you go overtime without getting paid, just think of the experience you'll gain. However, you should know your limits also. Good luck!

chinie · Aug 10, 2011

Hi guys, I am having the same problem. I am a Registered Nurse here in the Philippines and a NCLEX passer. But i cannot get a hospital in California who is willing to sponsor me.. And now, I just accepted a job in Singapore as an Healthcare Assistant and it will take too long before I become Registered Nurse there. I'm afraid, time will come my NCLEX would expire and just become a waste.