Importing nurses from the Phillipines

Gardengal · Oct 5, 2002

I thank everyone who has replied to my query, and agree that the recruitment issue is a multifaceted one. The retention issues are real, as is the need to consider the impact to the countries from where the foreign nurses are coming.

It seems many of us agree that there are varied skills of nurses regardless of their country of origin. I know that there was a screening of nurses in the application process for the nurses who are coing to my hospital from the Phillipines. My question was not so much about was it right to bring them here though, it was more to seek guidance from others so that I may help to assist them in their transition to a new country, city, hospital and work group.

I wonder if some of the nurses who have traveled from one country to another to work might have ideas to share with me about what might have made your transitions easier when you moved to a new country. I recognize that some of my coworkers might not be as welcoming as others, and would like to try to assist in the orientation, welcome and integration of our new colleagues into my workplace

sjoe · Oct 6, 2002

Gardengal--well you certainly opened a can of worms, nonetheless. Certain topics just seem to be volatile, don't they?

One suggestion I have--at some point, like after the first couple weeks of orientation, when you have a meeting with all the nurses, including the new Filipino ones, you might think of having some food, or at least some snacks, catered by a Phillipino company.

Those whom I have worked with feel VERY special about lumpa and many pastel-colored desert items whose names I don't know (and don't taste good to me), and it might make them feel more at home and give other nurses a chance to taste some of this food and chat about it. (At least it would be more thoughtful than pizza.)

(Now I suppose I'll get flamed for that, as well. From the pizza-lovers.)

Best wishes.

fergus51 · Oct 6, 2002

Have you thought of buddying them up with native nurses? We did this informally on the unit when we had a few foreigners from the Phillipines and Hong Kong come. I acted as a buddy for one from HK. All it entailed was calling her to see how she was doing and taking her out for coffee once in a while after a shift just so that she had someone to talk to and ask questions to. The idea was to lessen the loneliness and isolation some new immigrants feel. It was a really positive experience for me (she even taught me how to cook some Chinese food!) and the other nurses who did it as well.

Gardengal · Oct 6, 2002

Thanks for the ideas. I think buddying them up would be a good idea...a companion and a champion if need be. I also like the idea of food....always a winner. I never thought about looking for a Phillipine caterer-I guess I'll hit the Yellow pages or maybe there's a Phillipine society I can contact for help.

-jt · Oct 6, 2002

Theres the Phillipine Nurses Association in America & other Asian-American organizations in almost every state.

see: http://www.awib.org/content_frames/directory/asian/

NancyRN · Oct 6, 2002

I can't understand why it's ok to bring in foreign nurses and ask them to work under conditons AMERICANS find appalling. The issue isn't whether or not we like Filipinas.

If it's unsafe for me, its unsafe for them too. If I never get a break, they never get a break. If my back aches, their backs will ache.

Is it also ok to get 5 year olds to weave your oriental rugs?

tiger · Oct 6, 2002

nancy, please think about you last question on your post. do you think it is really appropriate?

NancyRN · Oct 6, 2002

I find exploitation morally objectionable no matter what form it takes.

-jt · Oct 6, 2002

Its not ok! Thats the whole objection. This "solution" is being used by the hospital associations to AVOID fixing those conditions. Thats why nurses groups are in DC fighting against it.

Yet, how many of us protesting here have sent a note to our Congressmen & Senators telling them NOT to pass the bill that will change the immigration laws to allow an unlimited number of new overseas recruits & reducing their qualification & credential requirements?

If the hospitals cant take this easy way out, they will be forced to face facts & fix the problems that are keeping their own RNs away from the job.

tiger · Oct 6, 2002

Originally posted by NancyRN
I can't understand why it's ok to bring in foreign nurses and ask them to work under conditons AMERICANS find appalling. The issue isn't whether or not we like Filipinas.

If it's unsafe for me, its unsafe for them too. If I never get a break, they never get a break. If my back aches, their backs will ache.

Is it also ok to get 5 year olds to weave your oriental rugs?

these "foreign nurses" are adults, and educated ones. it is not like forced labor on a child.

-jt · Oct 6, 2002

True but I think her point was more a symbolic one. The foreign recruits are exploited too in that they are obligated to make no waves as their visa depends on them keeping the job. They are forced to keep their mouths shut & just put up with the hospital does to them - or be fired, lose their visa & have to go home having "failed" in the US. Where we are refusing to work in certain conditions, these RNs feel they have no choice but to accept whatever is thrown at them once they get here & are obligated to the hospital sponsoring them. Its not true - there are laws that protect them - but a lot of them dont know that.

Exploitation is exploitation.

apols_uk · Oct 6, 2002

gardengal i think there are few filipino caterers but they are based in california and new york called goldilocks i dont know if its available on your state. when i visited the states i went there.

america food is ok its introducing them slowly. pop corn burgers

milkshakes they are fine. these filipinos are adventurous anyway.

like when i first came to england they dont even know that the philippines existed on the map so they served us full english breakfast and tea with milk which is quite odd to me but after a while i found it nice. they are easy to be with non of my english colleagues in here finds us difficult to handle like blending in. it comes out naturally.