Norway needs more Pinoy nurses, other skilled workers

World Philippines

Published

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=124069

another door open for filipino nurses. even with the communication barrier Filipino can adapt to it. goodluck to nurses who wnat to pursue in norway.

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

What struck me was the $6,000 fee to be paid by the candidates to the 'school'. That and the thought of trying to live in the world's most expensive city on $3,000 per month. I live near San Francisco which is pretty pricey and $3,000 will barely cover your rent in a lot of buildings.

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Danger signs in this article:

Norway needs more nurses and other skilled workers from the Philippines

There's nothing special about the Philippines. If they need the workers then so be it. This sentence sounds like a recruiting flier.

Employers said they prefer workers who can speak and write Norwegian... required to undergo a six-month course on Norwegian language.. She had to put up a small school building in her native province of Ilocos Norte, which conducts a Norwegian language course....a total of US$6,000 will be paid out by each recruit
This sounds mighty suspicious to me.

...start work next week in various nursing homes with an initial salary of almost US$3,000 each month...Oslo is considered as the most expensive city in the world.
As Suzanne has been saying, these folks aren't working as nurses. And less than $3,000 per month to live in the most expensive city in the world? I live near San Francisco which is very pricey and $3,000 per month will barely cover rent in a lot of buildings.

This whole thing sounds fishy. This Jenssen lady sounds like she's taking advantage of some very desperate people in the PI.

Norwegians have a fairly good grasp of the English language, just like the Swedes, because it is part of their school curriculum. I've been told this by a Norwegian friend. However, if they use pure Norwegian in the hospital for charting and everything, then I don't know how that's going to be for foreign nurses. I'm not in the position to judge if it's hard or what because I've never been in that position. Only, I know a lot of Norwegians speak and understand English.

Aaaand offtopic but as for them being stereotyped as all blondes, it isn't true. My friend would always emphasize that.

Specializes in Neuro-Surgery, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Aaaand offtopic but as for them being stereotyped as all blondes, it isn't true. My friend would always emphasize that.

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I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stereotype them as all blonds. I should know because in the 1980's I worked with a now-retired Norwegian-American registered nurse who has blue eyes and sandy brown hair. Also, I have been to Europe twice and I had the pleasure of meeting a few Nordic folks (Swedes, Norwegians etc.) and they speak English with thick accents and some speak English better than others. I don't think they use English as the official language in their hospitals. And why should they? They are a proud nation with their own sophisticated language.

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The only point that we are making is that six months of training is not going to put someone at the college level in the language and that is what is needed to be able to even be considered for an actual RN position there.

And these workers are going to be placed in nursing homes doing direct patient care, not in hospitals either. And not as nurses.

:nurse: hi.. i just read this a few minutes ago.. norway does NOT hire people outside EU as RN!! even people within EU HAVE TO KNOW the language..

RN's outside scandinacia NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU ARE OR THE BEST YOU ARE YOU WILL NOT BE HIRED AS RN!! NOT EVEN RN IN THE HOME FOR THE AGED..

i know this for a fact because i am RN from the Philippines BUT norwegian citizen since i was born here.. i am fluent in the language but i can't become RN here still... i can become a hjelpepleier or a special nurse like in the us which can give oral meds but not special meds.. BUT in order for me to give that i have to take medicine course...

i wish the old system in hiring nurses outside norway would be taken back.. because back in the 70's my mom and dad got into norway with no problem.. they got a contract... my mom got an OR nursing contract right away.. BUT THIS WAS IN THE 70's.. the norwegian gov't isn't that generous even though they NEED RN's real bad..

you guys can work here i think but as nurses assistant.. it sucks because RN's from the philippines and the US are like doctor's here... (trust me the medical care here suck and they have A LOT of failed diagnosis.. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............) anyway, that is life.. we do our best though, right? :) hope this helps.. i'm not discouraging you guys or anything...

oh yeah... learning Norwegian in 6mos. is possible!!! you wont be 101% fluent but fluent enough to communicate and write.. as long as you focus... norwegian has a little of almost every language in europe and especially english.. so if i misspell it's because the spelling in norwegian of some words are similar.. bye

Specializes in Neuro-Surgery, Med-Surg, Home Health.

oh yeah... learning Norwegian in 6mos. is possible!!! you wont be 101% fluent but fluent enough to communicate and write.. as long as you focus... norwegian has a little of almost every language in europe and especially english.. so if i misspell it's because the spelling in norwegian of some words are similar.. bye

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With all due respect, it is EASY for you to say that Norwegian can learned in six months because you have lived in Norway for long time. For an adult Filipino nurse, or any Filipino for that matter, it would be a different story. And to function as a professional RN from overseas you must be close to being fluent in Norwegian as possible. Other than that you may endanger the health and life of your Norwegian patients. I don't have to repeat the scenarios that I have written about regarding this particular topic.

For us who went to college in the Philippines in the 1970's or earlier, we were required to take Spanish classes (I don't know when they stopped requiring Spanish as a required course in Philippine colleges though). In my case, I took Spanish classes in high school, and Spanish I and II in college. I am not ashamed to say that I did not become fluent in Spanish after taking these classes because most of my classmates were also roughly in my level of fluency in Spanish, or lack thereof. This has something to do with the adult brain. Of course a few select people are better than most in learning a new language.

Since Norway belongs to the European Union, and the E.U. has stopped hiring RN's from outside their borders, then one could assume that Norway is importing nursing aides with 'college degrees' from the Philippines instead of employing them as RN's.

I do hope not.

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Thanks for your post, I think you bring up a good point, one should go to school where they want to practice. If you went to school in Norway you would be all set.

With your EU passport and Philipine degree can you work elsewhere in Europe?

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
oh yeah... learning Norwegian in 6mos. is possible!!! you wont be 101% fluent but fluent enough to communicate and write.. as long as you focus... norwegian has a little of almost every language in europe and especially english.. so if i misspell it's because the spelling in norwegian of some words are similar.. bye

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With all due respect, it is EASY for you to say that Norwegian can learned in six months because you have lived in Norway for long time. For an adult Filipino nurse, or any Filipino for that matter, it would be a different story. And to function as a professional RN from overseas you must be close to being fluent in Norwegian as possible. Other than that you may endanger the health and life of your Norwegian patients. I don't have to repeat the scenarios that I have written about regarding this particular topic.

For us who went to college in the Philippines in the 1970's or earlier, we were required to take Spanish classes (I don't know when they stopped requiring Spanish as a required course in Philippine colleges though). In my case, I took Spanish classes in high school, and Spanish I and II in college. I am not ashamed to say that I did not become fluent in Spanish after taking these classes because most of my classmates were also roughly in my level of fluency in Spanish, or lack thereof. This has something to do with the adult brain. Of course a few select people are better than most in learning a new language.

Since Norway belongs to the European Union, and the E.U. has stopped hiring RN's from outside their borders, then one could assume that Norway is importing nursing aides with 'college degrees' from the Philippines instead of employing them as RN's.

I do hope not.

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Norway isn't in the EU as they have twice rejected joining but they are in the EEA which ensures access to the EU internal market

The Norwegian electorate has twice rejected treaties of accession to the European Union (EU). Most legislation made by the EU is however implemented in the country due to Norway's membership in the European Economic Area (EEA). This ensures Norway's access to the EU's internal market.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway

i forgot to mention that i grew up in the Philippines.. i was only here until i was 7 and came back after more than 15 years.. in other words i have only been speaking english and tagalog for 15 years.. people say that it's easier for me to relearn the language since i could speak only norwegian until i was 7... and then forgot the whole package once i stepped on filipino soil.. anyway, a lot of filipinos here are very good at speaking, writing and reading.. those who have professional degrees learn the language pretty fast... (if you know what i mean.. it's not that i am being a racist but i think you guys understand the flow...) 1 to 2 years as long as you FOCUS you can be really fluent.. i know a filipina woman.. she's lived here for only 5 years and she's REALLY FLUENT.. the language depends... if you're interested you'll learn it.. some people have lived here 20years and almost nothing.. it's really up to people.. BUT i am not saying it's not hard.. HEI!! a filipina is working at the home for the aged.. she got a contract already and she is not that good at all at the language.. she's a nurse's aid.. but is finished with RN in the philippines...

** i don't know yet if i can use my filipino degree in EU.. i don't want to try it until i have my license here.. it's so much easier to get a job anywhere when i get my norwegian license.. although i have been tempted to transfer to london MANY MANY times.. hehehe..

:nurse: hi.. i just read this a few minutes ago.. norway does NOT hire people outside EU as RN!! even people within EU HAVE TO KNOW the language..

RN's outside scandinacia NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU ARE OR THE BEST YOU ARE YOU WILL NOT BE HIRED AS RN!! NOT EVEN RN IN THE HOME FOR THE AGED..

i know this for a fact because i am RN from the Philippines BUT norwegian citizen since i was born here.. i am fluent in the language but i can't become RN here still... i can become a hjelpepleier or a special nurse like in the us which can give oral meds but not special meds.. BUT in order for me to give that i have to take medicine course...

i wish the old system in hiring nurses outside norway would be taken back.. because back in the 70's my mom and dad got into norway with no problem.. they got a contract... my mom got an OR nursing contract right away.. BUT THIS WAS IN THE 70's.. the norwegian gov't isn't that generous even though they NEED RN's real bad..

you guys can work here i think but as nurses assistant.. it sucks because RN's from the philippines and the US are like doctor's here... (trust me the medical care here suck and they have A LOT of failed diagnosis.. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............) anyway, that is life.. we do our best though, right? :) hope this helps.. i'm not discouraging you guys or anything...

oh yeah... learning Norwegian in 6mos. is possible!!! you wont be 101% fluent but fluent enough to communicate and write.. as long as you focus... norwegian has a little of almost every language in europe and especially english.. so if i misspell it's because the spelling in norwegian of some words are similar.. bye

Really? and i thought that Norway is opening up to RNs from the Philippines. Looks like it's getting harder to get a job anywhere :(

Thanks for your post, I think you bring up a good point, one should go to school where they want to practice. If you went to school in Norway you would be all set.

With your EU passport and Philipine degree can you work elsewhere in Europe?

This is not the case, even with attending school in the US; one is no longer guaranteed that they will be able to stay and work here. If a foreign nurse graduates from school in the Philippines but does not hold Philippine citizenship, then they cannot sit for the NLE or get licensed there.

The issue for the above nurse more than likely is also that they do not hold Philippine citizenship and therefore cannot write the NLE. One requirement for all of the EU is that one has a local license. So this makes it hard on them in this respect.

This is major issue that I have with the Philippines, they want to be able to send their nurses all over and expect other countries to take them; but they will not let a foreign nurse get licensed and work there, even if they attended school there.

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