Is the Grass Really Greener Stateside? Honestly.

Racell · Jul 17, 2006

well yes i am still a student nurse, so obviously that means i have never worked as a a nurse in abroad yet, but no doubt about it, the grass is greener outside our fence! you just gotta work for it though...:wink2:

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2006

Honestly?

The grass is greener in the US.

I know I'm not Filipino and I don't want to seem like I'm treading toes here, but I ask that you hear me out.

I come from that part of the world.

And I say that I'd be in the US even if it meant working at McDonalds everyday for the rest of my life :) The opportunities that I have found here that encourage and push me to achieve my true potential - I have found nowhere else.

Please realise, I'm not touting the superiority or inferiority of any nation or society - merely relating my own personal experience.

Sorry for taking the thread tangentially offtopic.

Rep · Jul 18, 2006

So you survived financially almost 5 months w/o an NCLEX and on a temporary license? And you have kids right? I assume though that your spouse is also working.

My wife is not working, she stays at home taking care of our three kids. I work the usual 40 hours/week. And I also send some money back to the Philippines.

I am in California where the cost of living is high. I am living comfortable here.

Daning · Jul 18, 2006

^wow! that's really something. and for someone with pre-nclex rates at that.

hmmm... probably our tough experience in the Philippines have taught us to live within our means. but i've also heard of filipinos having difficulty managing finances in the US. some get so overwhelmed easily with the 'material abudance' that they get all sort of loans... and sooner or later, neck deep already with all the bills. i guess, to each his own and things like these can be relative depending on one's values, lifestyle, discipline, etc.

nrswnabee · Jul 18, 2006

you're so right, daning. i think financial traps come easy with a swell-paying job. you're offered left and right all kinds of things and if you're not very careful, you'll end up sinking in debt.

i think it's by far the wisest advise anyone can give to a new immigrant: build a nice credit score (and keep it there). your lifetime financial success greatly depends on this number.

prchater · Jul 18, 2006

In the money side its worth-it, but on the healthy side of things, its stressful, considering that nurses work for 16 hours coz they want more money. Nurses push themselves to the limit a lot of times, disregarding their health for the sake of earning big bucks.....thats a downside of it all.....

prchater · Jul 18, 2006

Its because Filipino nurses tend to spend a lot coz they earn a lot for working 16 hours, and they tend to be "mayabang," showing off with expensive cars and stuff that isnt a necessity if u ask me.

likemike, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2006

Sorry to put my white nose where it may not belong but I have an affinity for your country and great respect for Pinoy/Pinay Nurses.

It is hard to adjust to the brutality of US Nursing for some of my friends. Particularly dt the fact that a great deal of Nurses are racist still in this day and age.

Most of my closest Nurse friends are from the ROP. After initial culture shock they adjust and do real well and find indeed the grass is greener. But you must have a + support system.

Having said that, if you interview in hospital X and find knowbody knows what lumpia is and Hospital Y has lots of Nurses from back home, you may do better in Hospial Y.

Case in point, a rock star L and D nurse just got fired during orientation at Hospital X and is now working at hospital Y and doing well.

My friend from Nursing school turned down a well paying job from Hospital X and is happier at hospital Y.

I hope this makes sense. Really want to say "Nantindan mo?" but that is against the rules here and for a good reason. English is professional, so do you unterstand? If not, let me know cause I care... :specs:

adangerousbeauty · Jul 22, 2006

@likemike...LOL. Very well said. Maybe what u mean is "Naintindihan mo?" (Do you understand?) :nurse:

likemike, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2006

LOL you got me with my bad Taglish but cut me some slack, I had been up for 14 hours and was checking NCLEX results for a pinay friend. :)

nrswnabee · Jul 22, 2006

yes, absolutely. support system would be quite a HELP to filipino nurses as they transition to their new life in the u.s. however, it shouldn't keep them from assimilating ---learn the language FURTHER and seek out friendships outside the comfortable pinoy circle. i think this is one complaint some us-born nurses have about some pinoys or other new migrants----they can be too closed, keeping their interests outside work only among compatriots. even if we eat adobo everyday, the u.s. won't turn into the philippines...ever.

likemike, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2006

Nicely stated. But....I spent 8 years in the Navy and had a lot of Pinoy shipmates both in the fleet aboard ship/with the USMC and in a couple of Hospitals. They do tend to group together. Probably for a reason. It used to be if you were a Navy Pinoy you could only be a slave to an Officer, then a cook. Now any rating is open.

So there is an inherent racism in the Military and it spills over.

I learned from other Nurses from ROP a few words of Tagalog and treated them with the same respect of my other co workers ir respective of race. It was amazing as so few caucasian Nurses took the time to befriend them.

In school I found out much to my chagrin, that the "Circle of Filipinos" who always isolated themselves was because they were "taught" ((their words))

to beware of white people particularly men.

Again, with a small bit of extending myself to them I was repaid inumerable times by this group in terms of studying and becoming friends with them.

To quote Rodney King "Can't we all just get along"

A year ago as a student I heard two travelers one from Michigan and African American the other a white lady from the deep south. Change of shift and they covered all the Nursing report. "Ohh he is one of those asian types speaks some language called Tee Ayy Gee Ayy Ohh Ell Gee. "well we dont have any of those types where I come from" "me either" "What the hell is Tagalog"

I was steaming as this is the Bay Area and a melting pot. I told them Tagalog was the main non English language of the Philippines and if they needed a translator 50% of the full time staff spoke English and Tagalog fluently. And if you want to work in the Bay Area you need to lose the attitude and my Name is Mike, this is my school, this is my Clin Instructor's name and phone number and here is my school's Nursing Dept. Director's Name and phone number.

They were speechless a mere student was so fired up by their rascism over a client. Did it do any good, probably for that one patient who knows. My point is it is a two way street.

All cultures here must learn to assimilate. All it takes is a few words, a smile and genuineness. Whatever our culture, race, background, sexual preference, religous preference, gender etc. we are all Nurses and should treat each other like Brothers and Sisters ideally.

I know this is a pipe dream but all it takes is one open mind to start.

Thanks for your insight.