Filipino nurses emigrating to US

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 2, 2014

I have heard of this as well. There seems to be "travel" companies that are specific to certain areas of the world that attempt to get their nurses to the US to work. Some with offers of green cards, and other benefits. Facilities state "diversity" as their reasoning.

I would be curious as to what the starting salary would be in comparison. Because the bottom line is that perhaps nurses from other countries will work for less money, more benefits and the ability to stay in the US.

I do think it is sad as there are so many nurses who are already in the US who can't find work so now we are importing nurses.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2014

Many Filipino nurses come here for in the past it was easy to get licensure and a job. The pay in the US is phenomenal compared to their country. IN the past importing nurses were a "cheaper option". IN the Philippines many nurses graduate and cannot find employment and must be "volunteers" before they can be a nurse.

The education is not comparable for the most part. The theory is not concurrent. There are 13 states that require concurrent clinicals.

Alabama

Arizona

California

Georgia

Illinois

Kansas

Louisiana

Maryland

north Dakota

Oklahoma

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

elkpark · Jun 2, 2014

$$$$, significantly better living conditions

RNdynamic · Jun 2, 2014

If I am not mistaken, the phillipines is the world's largest exporter of overseas laborers to various countries. OFW's (overseas filipino workers) send remittances back to the Philippines in amounts that rival Mexico and China.

It is so bad for nurses in the Philippines that for years, trained nurses have to volunteer for years before actually being paid to work, and during that volunteer period they are liable for giving meds and carrying out complex treatments that you would never see volunteers in the USA perform. Some of those Filipino hospitals even require the volunteers to pay them a fee, instead of the other way around.

Unfortunately, the education is not similar. I remember reading that only 40% of the Filipino nurses that take the nclex-rn ever pass it. There is a definite overabundance of bad Filipino nurses, who are produced by the overabundance of bad Filipino nursing schools. Yet, because of greedy deals that American hospitals make, they get hired straight into our ICUs with no training and almost no orientation. So make sure to watch out.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 2, 2014

For many it is the hope of a better life and at one time nursing was one of the easiest when looking for employers however many countries require further assessment and training with a lot of International trained nurses although some countries will give exemption if they have worked in certain countries for a certain length of time. For me I had the opportunity to move to another country with my husband and find I actually get paid better than I did in the UK. Yes it is different but I have enjoyed seeing the differences in healthcare

elkpark · Jun 2, 2014

If I am not mistaken, the phillipines is the world's largest exporter of overseas laborers to various countries. OFW's (overseas filipino workers) send remittances back to the Philippines in amounts that rival Mexico and China.
It is so bad for nurses in the Philippines that for years, trained nurses have to volunteer for years before actually being paid to work, and during that volunteer period they are liable for giving meds and carrying out complex treatments that you would never see volunteers in the USA perform.
Unfortunately, the education is not similar. I remember reading that only 40% of the Filipino nurses that take the nclex-rn ever pass it. There is a definite overabundance of bad Filipino nurses, who are produced by the overabundance of bad Filipino nursing schools. Yet, because of greedy deals that American hospitals make, they get hired straight into our ICUs with no training and almost no orientation. So make sure to watch out.

At least the situation is somewhat better than it used to be; internationally-educated nurses are now required to pass the NCLEX and get licensed before they are allowed to work in the US, no temporary permits. My sister is a travel agent who used to live and work in Houston TX. The agency she worked for handled all the travel arrangements for one of the big Houston medical centers, and I remember her telling me, when we were having a conversation about this, that this particularly hospital used to send a big plane down to the PI, pick up a planeload full of RNs there and bring them to the US to work in the medical center. The hospital would house them all, five or six to an apartment, in a small apartment building the hospital owned, and provide transportation back and forth to work. The hospital would get them all temporary licenses and they would work in the medical center for the max amount of time they could on the temporary permits. When they finally had no choice but to take the NCLEX, most or all of them would flunk the exam, and the hospital would put them all on a plane, fly them back to the PI, pick up a new planeload of nurses for the return trip, and do the same thing over again. It was a regular, ongoing cycle, and my sister knew about it personally because her agency was making the plane arrangements on a regular basis. I'm sure that particular medical center wasn't the only big hospital doing this in those days.

At least that kind of thing has been eliminated ...

OCNRN63, RN · Jun 2, 2014

We need to employ our own nurses before we start employing foreign nurses. Other countries have strict laws regarding employing nurses from other countries.

It's time to take the welcome mat away until our own nurses find jobs. Sorry if that sounds insensitive.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 2, 2014

The US currently has retrogression meaning that nurses or other professions that are getting their greencards now generally have waited over 8 years to get it. It does vary dependent on where the applicant was born but the government allocates x amount of greencards each year for skilled workers so they must still think there is a reason to try and bring skilled workers to the US

OCNRN63, RN · Jun 2, 2014

There is no reason to import nurses. All you have to do is read this board; new and experienced nurses are having difficulty finding work.

allnurses Guide · Jun 2, 2014

The only reason is money. I am pretty sure Filipino nurses work for less than what the average American citizen nurse makes. It drives down our wages and increases dangerous practices and bad ratios, as the Filipino nurses are willing to work under almost any conditions to get to stay here. I find the practice appalling.

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Jun 2, 2014

Some of these comments don't seem fair. I'm not Filipino, but I work with a lot of Filipino nurses who are competent and in line with the pay scale. They weren't just plucked up off their homeland and dropped in a hospital where they happily work 18 hours days for a loaf of bread.