US national has identity crisis (just kidding)

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Hi everyone,

Seriously, I am a US national, and am interested in attending nursing school in phil. I am well educated and have decided to take up nursing. I am very competitive here as a student, but going through the application process, waiting to get through the lottery system and in a slot, and complete the RN program will take 4 yrs. minimum. I could transfer to phil with my MS in biology and fiinsh in 2 years (saving myself 2 years).....but I am concerned about the language barrier........I don't speak Tagalog......How big a problem would this be getting through the academic curriculum and working with patients as well?

I know I would need a visa and am familiar with Filipino culture and issues for Filipino nurses, and am not considering this prospect blindly, but could use some help with issues I might have in an NCR nusring program. Does anyone know any specific nursing programs that might be more accommodating to me or where my language barrier would be less of an issue?

Thanks for your help,

Scott

cruiseship_RN

10 Posts

Scott,

As you have noticed, english is our second language here in the Phils, its not gonna be a problem for you studying here as far as laguage is concern. The problem lies on what you want to achieve in getting a BSN degree in just 2 years. I dont think thats possible even though you have your MS Bio. there in the state. Nursing program here has become tougher coz of the proliferation of "nursing schools" throughout the country. The government has put-up a new measures to ensure continued quality nursing graduates from the Phils. The newest batch (freshmen of 2006) now has to finish BSN for a 5-year curriculum now instead of 4.

There might be some nursing schools here that can accept you and make you a BSN grad in two years, but I have to warn you to check first the record of these schools whether they have at least 30% passing rate of their graduate for the last 3 years, if not..Run As fast as you can..(Can I borrow that mam suzanne? :)

Good universities/colleges for BS nursing here are so strict with there nursing programs, they dont even allow second coursers to enroll now.

Hope this will help. Goodluck man.

cesium14

3 Posts

Thank you cruiseship_rn for your reply,

It seems your correct and I would need to be careful in selecting a nursing school, and especially as a second coursers. It also seems getting through the academic curriculum would be no problem. As for boads, passing depends on effort put in and avoiding the fly by night schools.

Thanks for the tip..., but I am still wondering if any one out there knows if I would run into a problem on the clinical internship by having to work directly with Tagalog only speaking patients, such as in charity or government hospital where most patients are from low income families?

Are there any nursing students out there that could help me out with this question? Thanks for your help,

Scott

Rep

3,099 Posts

Specializes in Medical-Surgical.
Thank you cruiseship_rn for your reply,

It seems your correct and I would need to be careful in selecting a nursing school, and especially as a second coursers. It also seems getting through the academic curriculum would be no problem. As for boads, passing depends on effort put in and avoiding the fly by night schools.

Thanks for the tip..., but I am still wondering if any one out there knows if I would run into a problem on the clinical internship by having to work directly with Tagalog only speaking patients, such as in charity or government hospital where most patients are from low income families?

Are there any nursing students out there that could help me out with this question? Thanks for your help,

Scott

Most Filipinos from low income groups who finished at some level of grade/high school can still understand English. You can make yourself understood to them.

RNHawaii34

476 Posts

Specializes in MedSurg.-Tele, Home health, LTC.
Most Filipinos from low income groups who finished at some level of grade/high school can still understand English. You can make yourself understood to them.

hey scott,

I had a dear friend in nursing school last year and she speaks english ( she is european actually), and she didn't have a problem communicating with Tagalog patient. even myself, who lived in the U.S. for many years, although I speak tagalog, but when I speak english, the natural American accent does come out, but it didn't deter me from taking care of my patient during my clinical rotation. a lot of Filipino understand english, but didn't want to speak it in fear that people will laugh at them for trying, but you will be surprise how good they are with english language. it's an advantage actually because you get people's attention, and they listen to you. by the way, have you consider going to ADN programs here in the U.S.?

cesium14

3 Posts

Thanks for you help RNHawaii34,

Its nice to hear your good friend and classmate got by just fine. As for the ADN program here, I am interested, its just that it can take quite a bit of time to get into a program here.

First one must meet the general prerequisites, such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, nutrition and such......for preliminary admission, and I am fine here but just need human anatomy and physiology because i completed the comparative versions in undergrad. Then with most schools, all qualifying students lottery for the limited number of admission slots each year with classes starting in September. There are few programs with admissions in spring and fall. In my area, Sacramento, CA, I know about 800 pre-qualifying students lottery for only about 200 slots opening in september each year.

This means about 600 qualified students cannot take up nursing because they did not win the random lottery. Just last month I spoke to qualified students in my area that have lost the lottery 3 years running, and are still not taking up nursing yet. The schools can not handle the demand for nursing students here. Most nursing programs throughout the entire country are all impacted and fall far short of meeting the demand educating qualified students......

which is why my interest in taking up nursing in phils...even though I am qualified for admission, i can not get in until I complete human anatomy and physiology next spring term (I couldn't enroll in these classes this fall because the classes were full with pre-nursing students and they wouldn't add me....and I tried 2 different community colleges and a state university). This means I can't gain admission to a nursing program for 2 more years.....and even longer if I don't win the lottery system on my first try.

See my frustration with the inadequacy of the nursing student programs here......I get upset just thinking about it.....lol.

Anyhow, I just curious which nursing school you attend in phil....sounds like it might be a good program for me? Thanks again,

Scott

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