Why do so many nurses from the Philippines come to Canada/USA?

World Philippines

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  • Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.

You are reading page 4 of Why do so many nurses from the Philippines come to Canada/USA?

denicu

244 Posts

I dont understand the OP comment that "so many canadians are out of work". You are comparing apples to orange. Having lots of Flipinos nurses-how does that contribute to unemployment. Unless there are lots of canandians nurses out of work-otherwise your point doesnt make sense. I have met many Canandians travelers here in the US and i was happy to have there here during the nursing shortgage. I have also met English, Indians, Caribbean and Sout African nurses to name a few how have been recruited to come to the US to work. I have seen similar topics on other nursing websites and it became so personalize that the topic was closed by the moderator.

lilaclover

174 Posts

Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.
Both my husband and I are Filipino nurses who are now working and living in Canada. Fortunately enough,we arrived here as immigrants.We both took the exam and passed it the first time we took it and found work right away in an acute hospital.I am very thankful that before we came here my husband did a lot of studying about how to register as a nurse and how to integrate successfully.We did not have much problems that many experienced when they arrived unprepared.I know of many nurses from the Philippines who are working as nurses in the Middle East and arrived here as live-in caregivers.

I did both teaching in a college of nursing and working in the hospital at the same time in the Philippines. Many of my former students became nurses for the reason that they believed that Canada and the US offers better pay. US of A is the ultimate destination.That sounded like a statement from a travel agency:).Therefore ,what follows would be a better future.The working situation right now is deplorable.Nurses are being paid poorly. Imagine working in a unit where there are only 3 RNs and 40 patients in a government hospital.It is absolutely unsafe and to make it worst many colleges of nursing are popping out everywhere leading to mass production of nursing graduates.No work can be found for them and that is horrible.

Another sad thought is that most Filipinos who are taking up nursing are being encouraged by their own families either in the Philippines or in Canada and the US to take up nursing.They believed that if one takes up nursing it is a ticket way out of the poverty that exists right now.I came across students who was forced to take up nursing due to the above mentioned reason and never really appreciating what is nursing all about.They simply don't have the clue of what awaits them.Another scenario that is occurring right now is that many parents (I have nothing against them personally), even if they know their children does not have what it takes to be a nurse ,kept on pushing them and simply believing that they will pass the licensure exam . If they fail the first time ,the parents would just say there is always the next time.I don't intend to be sarcastic but this is just my own observation that some parents have blinded themselves to the reality and deluded themselves of the capacity of their children.I know they want a better future for their kids but I truly believe that in this type of scenario we must braced ourselves to the reality of what they can do and what they cant.

So many new graduates with less hospital experience and lesser chances of working in hospitals.Everyone in the Philippines thinks that working abroad is the best way to have a better life.I know that a lot of new graduates were hired in some provinces such as Saskatchewan and Alberta who do not have enough experience at all.Filipino nurses tends to think that the country is producing the so called"best nurses" in the world,that is why many countries are hiring them.The media,the government and the educators are just simply not helping in that scenario. They don't seem to understand that the phrase "best nurses in the world" is offending to other nurses coming from other countries.It is implying that the other nurses who are not from the Philippines are none better.It is not intentional on their part but they should consider the feelings of other nurses and do some reading about this topic. I know Filipino nurses are good nurses and they work hard but that doesn't mean other nurses are not like that.

I hope I am able to share some insights through this post. I love the nursing profession and I respect everyone and anyone who earns the title of an RN whether they came from the Philippines or anywhere else.

Thank you so much for posting this response. It really helped give me a better understanding of the situation.

lilaclover

174 Posts

Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.

Thanks again to all the Filipino nurses out there who took the time to respond to my question. I think that openly talking about and discussing these issues with each other is important. It allows us to develop a better understanding of one another and our backgrounds. I think that its when we don't ask these questions that we tend to build "walls"

To those of you that were all too keen to take offence, well I'm sorry you feel that way. But do you think that keeping my question to myself would have helped? If I hadn't asked then I would be left to form my own opinions as to why so many Fillipino nurses are working here in Canada without the input of the actual Filipino nurses.

Its when people don't understand one another when problems arise. Whats wrong with making an effort to better understand another group of people?

RL657

22 Posts

Thank you so much for posting this response. It really helped give me a better understanding of the situation.

You are most welcome

Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

What an interesting thread! :) My floor is 95% Filipino and I have learned so much from them, nursing and cultural. I get to ask questions and we have honest discussions. Love it! We talk about when there is flooding in the Philippines, how are their families, I hear the tsunami is going to hit the Philippines, who is that crazy group that blew up the bus? Do you go back to the Philippines every year? Is it always for one month? What do you do? Does everyone speak the same language? no? really? So do you understand everyone who is Pilipino and a patient here? What does this word mean? etc (this just over the course of two years, not all at once :))

The only time I felt really uncomfortable was when a visitor leaned in really close to me and said, "Are YOU the only caucasion on the floor?!?" :eek: I said, yes and I really like it. :D The food is good and the company better! :yeah:

neatnurse30

166 Posts

Specializes in medical.

Why are there so many workers from Phillipines on the cruise ships ? I noticed that too, as I like to take cruises every year. Well, I work with Philippino nurses and I must admit they are the nicest and the smartest among foreign nurses I have encountered. Philippines is a poor country and US is a great place to live and work despite the recession.

MouseMichelle

192 Posts

Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.
Why are there so many workers from Phillipines on the cruise ships ? I noticed that too, as I like to take cruises every year. Well, I work with Philippino nurses and I must admit they are the nicest and the smartest among foreign nurses I have encountered. Philippines is a poor country and US is a great place to live and work despite the recession.

Bravo.....

:yeah:

LouisVRN, RN

672 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I must say I work with a disproportionately large percentage of Filipinos as well (versus what the community is comprised of). Interestingly, despite living in a state where Hispanics are the majority, I work with NO hispanic nurses, so it definitely seems that it is at least part cultural. That being said, I enjoy working with them all and find them all to be incredibly hard working. The ones I have never have a negative attitude, never complain and are nothing but courteous and helpful, as another poster pointed out I think they are quickly snatched up because they do tend to follow policy to the T. There meds are passed on time, there documentation/charting is accurate, they do everything that is required which is more than can be said for the majority of other nurses that I work with. Not to mention occasionally, for special occasions they will bring Lumpia :redpinkhe which has to be one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten and would probably never had got the experience to try otherwise.

cebollita

59 Posts

You know, I never even knew nursing was a popular career choice for Philipinos/Philipinas until I signed up for this website! I just never thought about it or noticed. Then again, there aren't many people from the Philipines where I live. Guess I'll have to start learning Tagalog (even though I'm sure they're all 100% fluent in English, it helps to make friends by surprising people with a few words of their native language...just for fun!)

DoGoodThenGo

4,129 Posts

It has nothing to do per se with how "beautiful" the country is or any other such things.

The matter is simply one of population and employment choices.

Mainly a RC country, the Phillippines has a vast population of women/girls, many of whom a few choices of employment regardless of education levels. Even the male population suffers from this to some extent, sot he choice is one persons have made since history began, move to some place where one can find work.

As it relates to nursing this is not a totally new idea. It was not *that* long ago convents, hospitals and other areas of employment full of the ranks of Irish, Italian, and other women/girls of from Western European or UK countries and or ancestry working as everything from nurses, teachers, and so forth down to domestics.

Employment for women at that time was mainly education, religous life (the convent or abbey), or nursing. So if you wanted out of your father's house, and or needed to earn money, that is where you looked (the last bit about earning funds does not apply to religous life of course).

With many familes of European background having far less children than in the past, coupled with vastly better employment choices for women has meant many of former "pink ghetto" areas have had to look elsewhere to fill their ranks.

For the record nurses have always been imported to these shores. In the first part of the last century they came from the UK/EU countries, mainly the ones where English was already spoken and or had a supply of women who could speak the language besides their own. When the US changed it's immigration laws the action for finding nurses moved to the Philippines for the same reason; owing to it's connections with the USA post WWII there was and continues to be a large supply of native born persons who speak English.

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Off topic, divisive, rude and insulting posts have been removed from this thread. I haven't PM'd any of you to tell you because there were so many. If you can't find your post it's been deleted.

I will reopen this thread now, please remember the terms of service before you post, divisive comments will not be tolerated.

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