New Yorker looking to attend nursing school in The Philippines

[Ryan NYC]

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping I can get some advice and someone can help me.

I am an American of Filipino heritage (my parents are Ilocano and Visayan) I was born in Davao but came to the US when I was very young and now am an American Citizen.

About me: I am 33 years old and have lived in New York most of my life. Have had all my education in the US through HS and some college, but no Bachelors degree to speak of. My professional career has consisted mainly in finance most recently working in the mortgage business for the past 6 years which has not been fairing too well. Given current economic situation I have decided to change careers and go to Davao for nursing school and then after graduation return to NY to practice. I am conversational in tagalog and can understand but not speak cebuano .. obviously english is not an issue for me.

I have narrowed down my school selection to Brokenshire College, Davao Doctors College and San Pedro College.

My questions are this...

1. Is there an age restriction to enter the nursing program in any of these schools for a foreigner?

2. What are my chances for admission to any of these schools, given the fact that my HS transripts are from 1993 and my last formal tertiary education has not been since 1999? As a foreign student will I need to take an entrance exam?

3. How long would it take to obtain a Student Visa? I have been reading mixed information, The consulate says I need to have a notification of acceptance, while the college sites say I need to have the student visa to apply. I am hoping I find someone who has been through this for some clarity.

4. Assuming I am able to attend school and graduate being a US Citizen I realize I would not be able to take the NLE. I also realize i will need to get a CVS for to sit for the NCLEX in NY. How long will this process take and is there anyway to expedite this?

Now before anyone suggests it, I have already looked into the possiblity of going to nursing school in NY and the the competition is so fierce and and the waiting list for schools in the area is so long I have opted to go to school in the Philippines for a number of reasons.

1. Tution and Room and Board is a fraction of the cost it would be in NY

2. I would not need to work and be able to concentrate on school full time in Davao

3. It would be an opportunity for me to connect with my heritage and culture

My concerns

I am an older student (though I don't look old) I may have a hard time assimilating to college life and to my younger classmates

I am Filipino but a very Americanized Filipino .. I don't even associate with other Filipinos in NY other than my family.

I am attending school in Davao with every intention of returning to NY to practice. I'm not sure if this is frowned upon at the colleges I am attending

When I do return it will be very difficult to sit and pass the NCLEX and get licensed

Safety ... Although I hear that Davao City is the safest city in the Philippines I am still weary being a foreigner

If anyone out there can help me with some advice or better yet let me know if you have a similar situation and have been through this it would be greatly appreciated. I am looking for an honest opinion and trying to make and educated decision.

Thanks so much

Ryan

[ryan09]

Hi,

I have got a friend or a batchmate from davao doctors college. she and her brother are both american citizens (but 100% filipino)...i think if you are an american citizen or resident you can take the NCLEX directly after gathering relevant documents, because when i asked my friend about it she told me that they are eligible to take the NCLEX because they are american citizens, in fact they are no longer required to provide an english language exam results.

davao city is very safe the safest city in the philippines. the city has 911 emergency response system, the only city outside US and canada to have such service..the city's 911 is patterned from the US and canada. the city is typhoon free, lots of fruits available, cost of living is relatively low, and there are a lot of nursing schools for you to choose from. i would recommend these schools, Ateneo de Davao, San Pedro college, davao doctors college or brokenshire college..

as what you have mentioned that you are a filipino, its just that you are americanized, i think theres no huge problem with that, as your appearance is a filipino...

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Hi,

I have got a friend or a batchmate from davao doctors college. she and her brother are both american citizens (but 100% filipino)...i think if you are an american citizen or resident you can take the NCLEX directly after gathering relevant documents, because when i asked my friend about it she told me that they are eligible to take the NCLEX because they are american citizens, in fact they are no longer required to provide an english language exam results.

davao city is very safe the safest city in the philippines. the city has 911 emergency response system, the only city outside US and canada to have such service..the city's 911 is patterned from the US and canada. the city is typhoon free, lots of fruits available, cost of living is relatively low, and there are a lot of nursing schools for you to choose from. i would recommend these schools, Ateneo de Davao, San Pedro college, davao doctors college or brokenshire college..

as what you have mentioned that you are a filipino, its just that you are americanized, i think theres no huge problem with that, as your appearance is a filipino...

Still have to meet US requirements when trained outside the US and will always be treated as international trained nurses. The state can still require proof of English skills just being a citizen will not necessary mean that you meet requirements and can sit NCLEX.

[Sairo]

i was going by the provisions written in the philippine nursing act of 2002 (http://www.scribd.com/doc/2435004/philippine-nursing-act-of-2002-ra91731). it stated that foreign nationals can apply for licensure by examination and did not exclude those foreign nationals who are on a student visa. i don't doubt that someone at prc told you about the exceptions. that only goes to show the disconnect between the law and how it is enforced by the government agencies in the philippines. the country does have a few restrictive regulations for foreign nationals.

what article in ra9173 (phil nursing act of 2002) are you referring?

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

what article in ra9173 (phil nursing act of 2002) are you referring?

here's the excerpt:

article iv

examination and registration

section 13. qualifications for admission to the licensure examination. - in order to be admitted to the examination for nurses, an applicant must, at the time of filing his/her application, establish to the satisfaction of the board that:

(a) he/she is a citizen of the philippines, or a citizen or subject of a country which permits filipino nurses to practice within its territorial limits on the same basis as the subject or citizen of such country: provided, that the requirements for the registration or licensing of nurses in said country are substantially the same as those prescribed in this act;

(b) he/she is of good moral character; and

© he/she is a holder of a bachelor's degree in nursing from a college or university that complies with the standards of nursing education duly recognized by the proper government agency.

[rn4ever?]

Still have to meet US requirements when trained outside the US and will always be treated as international trained nurses. The state can still require proof of English skills just being a citizen will not necessary mean that you meet requirements and can sit NCLEX.

I don't think that being a foreign graduate alone can be a problem by itself. There was a "mass exodus" of Filipino Nurses to the US during the 60s-90s, and most of these nurses are still actively working as RNs in the US and have been successful in their field. Some have become Nurse Managers, Charge Nurses, or Nurse Practitioners---to name only a few positions they have held. And oh yes, they are foreign graduates and will always be considered as such. I think a problem could arise though if one enrolls himself in a nursing program (whether in the US or abroad) that is not duly-recognized and legitimate.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

I don't think that being a foreign graduate alone can be a problem by itself. There was a "mass exodus" of Filipino Nurses to the US during the 60s-90s, and most of these nurses are still actively working as RNs in the US and have been successful in their field. Some have become Nurse Managers, Charge Nurses, or Nurse Practitioners---to name only a few positions they have held. And oh yes, they are foreign graduates and will always be considered as such. I think a problem could arise though if one enrolls himself in a nursing program (whether in the US or abroad) that is not duly-recognized and legitimate.

Things in the last few years have changed and we have seen many post in the Philippine forum where it appears that the school training hasn't been great. We have seen people post with lack of skills and a few other countries like Canada and Australia are requesting assessment or bridging programs (depending on country) on nurses where it is felt that the training doesn't match that country's requirements

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

Once a new has experience under their belt, the issue of being "foreign trained" becomes less of an issue, since their clinical skills are the driving force for the nurse to get a promotion.

The issue of being a foreign grad is several, first getting an initial license - where it takes a few weeks for a US nurse to sit for the NCLEX, it can take months or years. Second while US nurses pass the NCLEX at rate around 90% foreign grads pass at 50% of their US counterparts. While US nurses do a very simple review ( a few weeks or a month) foreign nurses have to take comprehensive review courses. Then the issue of getting their first job, this is a challenge for any nurse ( foreign or US graduate) with the current US economy being the way it is, foreign grads maybe seen as less desirable since they haven't been able to network with the hiring managers ( many students are able to find positions when they show excellence doing clinicals or working part time in a hospital).

Then other issues may come back to haunt a foreign grad, every state has different requirements for licensure, US grads usually don't have these issues.

Currently, going overseas, schooling will take 6 years and it could take up to one year to get a license. In the US you could get a RN in 2 years , if you are able to take 7 years to work is an option.

[Hushdawg]

Still have to meet US requirements when trained outside the US and will always be treated as international trained nurses. The state can still require proof of English skills just being a citizen will not necessary mean that you meet requirements and can sit NCLEX.

If an American is educated outside the USA then the only steps he or she gets to skip are getting licensed in the country where he/she graduated and passing VisaScreen.

All credential evaluations and CGFNS requirements still apply as they are to ANYONE who has been educated outside the USA.

Endorsements of licensure later on in one's career will also require any of those requirements.

[Hushdawg]

Things in the last few years have changed and we have seen many post in the Philippine forum where it appears that the school training hasn't been great. We have seen people post with lack of skills and a few other countries like Canada and Australia are requesting assessment or bridging programs (depending on country) on nurses where it is felt that the training doesn't match that country's requirements

The bridging courses apply to all nurses; even if they come from the USA or UK.

Luckily the Australian and New Zealand bridge courses are adjustable based on the level of experience each individual candidate exhibits.

Minimum is 2 weeks, longest is 6 months all depending on the performance of the individual nurse.

I would love to see the USA implement such a program so there would not be any more stupid xenophobia regarding foreign nurses.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

The bridging courses apply to all nurses; even if they come from the USA or UK.

Luckily the Australian and New Zealand bridge courses are adjustable based on the level of experience each individual candidate exhibits.

Minimum is 2 weeks, longest is 6 months all depending on the performance of the individual nurse.

I would love to see the USA implement such a program so there would not be any more stupid xenophobia regarding foreign nurses.

Sorry but not all UK and US nurses are required to do the bridging program in Australia I have seen many UK nurses go to Australia get through the board assessment without having to do any further courses. they only have to pass the English exam

[ryan09]

Sorry but not all UK and US nurses are required to do the bridging program in Australia I have seen many UK nurses go to Australia get through the board assessment without having to do any further courses. they only have to pass the English exam

it depends upon the experience they have...:)

others are/were waived from doing the bridging program beacause they have enough nursing experience that satisfy the nursing board's standards...

however, like what you have said, the english exam applies to all overseas nurses...even if you came from an english speaking country..

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

I have to agree with Silverdragon when there are talks about the education coming from the Philippines nowadays isn't as great. I've heard this even from older generation Filipinos themselves. It even angers them because they say the education definately isn't the same as when they were in school and they see that some of the newer generation nurses from there lack the clinical skills and even some of the theory knowledge. There are some younger generation Filipino nurses who even see this. They can even seem to sniff out who the ones who have never set foot in nursing school. Believe me, they are out there and you can tell right away.

In all fairness regarding passing rate for foreign grads as 50%, I believe part of it is the language barrier. English isn't their first language in most cases so it's harder for them. I don't care if your education was done in English. Just because your books were in English doesn't mean that English was 100% spoken all the time. I'm sure there were the few exceptions. Also the NCLEX is geared toward nursing in the US, so that's another thing these foreign trained nurses have to adjust to. They're not familiar with nursing in the US so it's something new to them. All passing the NCLEX means is that they can pass the exam. It doesn't mean that they will know what to do once they start working as a RN. They still have to go through training like any (domestic or foreign) other RN. They will learn as they go and they wont know what to do in certain situations because nursing is different in every country. This is the reason why it's important for the US to adopt a bridging program for all foreign trained nurses just like Australia has. Some schools are making LVN's take a bridge course LVN-RN before they're allowed to set foot in the RN portion of the career. They should do the same for foreign grads. If you can't pass the bridge course then you shouldn't be allowed to sit for the NCLEX.