Cultural conflicts between American born and Filipino nurses

pawashrn · Jul 3, 2009

Your in America, keep your culture at home and wail at rock if that is your culture, but when your on my floor your culture plays no role in evaluating your care.

rn4ever? · Oct 17, 2009

I think that it doesn't matter what language they are speaking in. If you're not included in the conversation, I think it is reason enough to mind your own business. Because if they want to speak ill of a person, they will do so---whether it's in the English language or not.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2009

I've worked with a lot of Pinoy and have never had a problem. I also really don't care if people speak another language in my presence. I speak English in front of people who don't understand it all the time.

I once worked in a group on which I was the only native English speaker. Everyone else spoke Russian and, when they were trying to work out something complicated it was natural for them to use their first language. As a consequence of that, which I quite enjoyed, I started learning some Russian and, once they realized that if their English sometimes cracked me up it was not a slam and that they were more than welcome to crack up at my fractured Russian we had a delightful, educational, and thoroughly useful cultural exchange going on. Symbiosis at its finest.

Learn from one another. Be open to their ways. Understand that your Pinoy co-workers are killing themselves to send 82 cousins to school and feed the rest and working all the hours they can get to help their families and pick up a little Tagalog.

I'll tell ya, I left NYC for Vanilla Land and boy, do I miss getting into an elevator and hearing three languages and no English.

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2009

I'll tell ya, I left NYC for Vanilla Land and boy, do I miss getting into an elevator and hearing three languages and no English.

OMG I feel the same way! I doesn't feel "right" somehow to not hear foreign languages all the time.

noelle4 · Oct 23, 2009

ok I have to have my say here. I am an American nurse, born/raised here. I have been a nurse for almost 10 yrs. I am well respected by my peers. I have worked on a Filipino dominated floor for a few years now and have seen Filipino nurses break EVERY rule on our floor. I was never racist before and sadly I feel I am beoming somewhat racist b/c of this certain bad group of Filipinos. I have seen first hand Filipino nurses look out only for each other giving each the best assignments, the best schedules, and more leeway than any other ethnic group. One in particular is very unscrupulous and dishonest and most, if not all of these Filipino RN's, disrespect our manager and make fun and ridicule her behind her back all the time. They sit for long extended braeks and lunches on our managers day off and after she goes home.These same nurses not only show favoritism towards each other but also to the Filipino patients on our floor. It is disgusting to see and has taken a toll on me. They constantly break policy by speaking in their language to each other in front of those of us who do not understand. Even after diversity classes and having been told repeatedly NOT to do this as it is rude and unprofessional, they act like the rules do not apply to them.

I have seen these same RN's treat black and hispanic patients very badly. I have my patients constantly complain about some of these same RN's, mostly about the rude attitude they get. My manager does NOTHING about them. She is new (not Filipino) and I believe intimidated by them and seeks their acceptance as it is an inside joke (not very funny ) that the Filipinos "run" our floor. Or maybe as it has been suggested, she just simply chooses to turn a blind eye.

Yes there are a few Filipino nurses who I greatly admire and respect, but it seems when they are all together in their group, these few RN's become the same rude, prejudiced, Filipino only speaking RN's.

I am to the point where I cannot stomach the unfairness and favoritism I am subjected to day in and day out. Please don't get me wrong, I am an EXCELLENT nurse who gives EACH of my patients the BEST care possible no matter WHAT their race. And I am far from the only one who sees these problems with the Filipinos. Many of my coworkers have voiced the same complaints, alas to deaf ears. Most RN's just accept it as I believe it has been like this way before I came to the unit, and some RN's are afraid to **** off some of these Filipinos and get even worse schedules/assignments, or harrassed by them.

Since I am to the point where I dread going to work these days and feel things will not change, I am actively and aggressively looking to transfer off this unit. in the meantime, is there any advice from anyone on how to deal with these issues? Now, I know everyone is different and I am not generalizing all Filipino RN's, but speaking only aboutthe RN's I work with and what me and many of my peers work with day in and day out. Thanks.