Pinoy Caregivers to Spain

suzanne4, RN · Mar 22, 2008

You are going to be going as a caregiver, and live in someone's home and be more like a maid than anything else. This will not give you credit as havbing worked in the role of the RN for the period that you are there.

And hate to burst your bubble, but it is not going to be easier to get EU citizenship; this will not be helping you. You are going over as unskilled laborers, and nothing more than that. It does not give you any benefit towards getting an actual passport from one of those countries. Please be aware that it is a temporary visa and one that can be cancelled at any time.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Mar 25, 2008

Is it me or does somebody else feel something terribly awry about the original post? Are you telling me that the POEA, a government-run agency in the Philippines, is pimping our professional and duly-licensed Registered Nurses to work in the role of a caregiver in Spain? I can understand the frustration with the poor economy and the difficulty in finding nursing jobs in the Philippines but must we resort to this? This is not a personal attack on the original poster but as someone who identifies as a Filipino in the US, I am compelled to ask our posters in this Philippine forum to exercise caution and care when we leave our postings here. Some of the information we divulge here just do not paint a pretty picture of what we really are as a people. Let's all remember that this is a forum by nurses all over the world and that it's not only Filipino nurses who get to surf and read these posts. I know we are better than this. I also know that I probably will upset many people with my post. I'm sorry I just had to say something.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 25, 2008

You hit it right on the head. Your wonderful government officials keep signing these agreements with other countries to send four year BSN graduates to work there as glorified maids and nothing more than that. It is not in the role of the RN, there is no licensure involved. And they will not get credit for that as work experience when they do decide that they want to work in the role that they were trained for.

This visa that they are getting for there also does not permit them to remain there and go for licensure later on.

But of course, the government officials in Manila never bother to tell them anything about what they will be doing, and that they cannot remain there when the time is up.

jpmbrn · Mar 28, 2008

PinoyNP and Zuzanne4:

I am truly grateful for the great remarks (advise) you've both posted. Yeah I do agree with you on that point. However, for us, what is important is to get a job. You are not here in the Philippines and you are not aware of the situations our nurses are experiencing here...Too many graduates...no available local nursing job! Yes I am pretty sure that you have heard many of our stories based on this great forum...It is indeed a pity that often our nurses settle for a job less fitting for a title called RN...Im sure that you are aware that not only spain hire RN caregivers...In fact Canada and UK I supposed hire more filipino RN to work as caregivers...for quite some time now...Some even go to UK with student visa to work as caregivers (and not to study) but for many of us here in the Philippines..it is much much better than settling for a minimum salary of less than P10,000 here in the Philippines. This would not happen if our dreams of working in the US has not been halted with this retro thing..But we do not blame anyone here! This has already been argued, debated and well discussed here in several forums right and so much of this who-is-to-blame game, what is important now is for all of us to move on....Yes I do agree that it is very unfitting for an RN to work as caregivers somewhere outside our country..It is a pity.. but for now, it is the best choice that we have..that this government of ours can offer to some of us just to alleviate this employemnt problem of ours...well, I still believe that no matter what work a person does, what is important is that he strives hard to make his life a lot lot better in the future..I do believe that it is the best that we can do now...at least for some of us who are willing to sacrifice a little...Yes maybe you two are right...Our government is selling us to other countries to work unfitting of our professions and degrees, but this is the only better option we have now and so we grab these opportunities...In a little while US will again need our services and of course we again continue our pursuit to work as US RNs right? Its just now....but we remain hopeful that a brighter future will shine soon!

borik1234 · Mar 29, 2008

try here in toronto as caregiver,,

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Mar 29, 2008

PinoyNP and Zuzanne4:
I am truly grateful for the great remarks (advise) you've both posted. Yeah I do agree with you on that point. However, for us, what is important is to get a job. You are not here in the Philippines and you are not aware of the situations our nurses are experiencing here...Too many graduates...no available local nursing job! Yes I am pretty sure that you have heard many of our stories based on this great forum...It is indeed a pity that often our nurses settle for a job less fitting for a title called RN...Im sure that you are aware that not only spain hire RN caregivers...In fact Canada and UK I supposed hire more filipino RN to work as caregivers...for quite some time now...Some even go to UK with student visa to work as caregivers (and not to study) but for many of us here in the Philippines..it is much much better than settling for a minimum salary of less than P10,000 here in the Philippines. This would not happen if our dreams of working in the US has not been halted with this retro thing..But we do not blame anyone here! This has already been argued, debated and well discussed here in several forums right and so much of this who-is-to-blame game, what is important now is for all of us to move on....Yes I do agree that it is very unfitting for an RN to work as caregivers somewhere outside our country..It is a pity.. but for now, it is the best choice that we have..that this government of ours can offer to some of us just to alleviate this employemnt problem of ours...well, I still believe that no matter what work a person does, what is important is that he strives hard to make his life a lot lot better in the future..I do believe that it is the best that we can do now...at least for some of us who are willing to sacrifice a little...Yes maybe you two are right...Our government is selling us to other countries to work unfitting of our professions and degrees, but this is the only better option we have now and so we grab these opportunities...In a little while US will again need our services and of course we again continue our pursuit to work as US RNs right? Its just now....but we remain hopeful that a brighter future will shine soon!

What at excellent response! The real reason why I responded the way I did to your original post is that although I am now a US citizen, I am a Filipino first and I feel hurt whenever I hear of news like this. We don't deserve this kind of treatment whether in the Philippines or abroad. I was once in your position. A nurse from the Philippines who just happened to be so lucky to get to the point where I am now. I'll tell you this though, it wasn't a smooth ride. I had my up's and down's too. Neither I or you can do anything about the situation in the Philippines on our own. It would take some kind of revolution to change the whole culture and mind-set that the Philippine government is forcing on it's people. One can only dream of the day when we don't hear of these things you just mentioned anymore... For now, good luck to you and may you surpass the dream you have set for yourself today.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 29, 2008

I am very aware of the situation in the Philippines in terms of nursing as well as everything else. But what you need to understand that with any of these jobs as care-givers, you are going over there essentially as an unskilled laborer and will be treated as such. And working essentially as a maid and nothing more.

The salary may sound good to you but when you factor in the cost of transportation on a daily basis as well as clothing for when the weather gets bad, and taxes that need to be paid, you are not going to have anything left to send home. You are also subject to having your visa cancelled at any time since it is a temporary work visa and nothing more. It does not permit you to change it to another later on to be able to work as an RN.

And with these programs that you are seeing in the UK and in other places in Europe, they are under a hiring freeze for RNs, and even with these shoddy training programs that train you to be nothing more than a nursing asst, there is no way that one will be able to remain in the UK when the training is over with. It does not matter what the silly school tells you or anyone else, the issue is that they do not issue visas, only the government does and they are only going to those with sigificant experience in an area that they need.

There are countries that are hiring where you can work in the role of the RN. And get experience as an RN. Working as a care-giver will not give you the needed experience that you truly need.

I do not like to see anyone taken advantage of and this is what is happening to you. And for those that go to Canada under some of these training programs, if they do not pass the CRNE, they are sent back home, they will not be able to remain there.

I would like to see nurses go to places to work that will hire tham as the four year RN that they are and not as a glorified maid.

whirlwind · Apr 1, 2008

jpmbrn,

i symphatize with u. i also had the same experience but somehow i have to choose between being a rn or deviating from such..

there are a lot of agencies who recruit rns to other countries like for example the middle east.. in here you work as rn, licensed as rn, and the compensation and benefits are much the same as that of what u earn being a us rn (tax free). u also have the priviledge to uplift your professional growth in terms of on hands training and good nursing experience...

just try... maybe you'll find working in the middle east a lot enjoyable and fruitful after all.

goodluck.

suzanne4, RN · Apr 8, 2008

And you get the experience of working as an RN which is what you went to school for, not to be someone's maid.

And sorry, but much is to blame on your politicians for thinking of selling you off as nothing more than caregivers or maids, they should be truly ashamed of themselves for this in the first place.

You do not get any credit or experience as an RN when you are in a role like this and get paid not as an RN either, but in the category of a maid.

I actually find that quite disgusting, if you ask me. All of you have four year degrees, signing on to be a maid means that someone does not think much of your training or what you have learned and done. And as long as you let someone take advantage of you like this, you will never break the cycle.

elajsh · May 6, 2008

ouch i think thats a bit too harsh:scrying:. I think they are not actually/ intentionally selling off RNs to fill these less fitting posts. What they are trying to do is just helping provide more employment for Filipinos (RN or not). This isnt the only job opening that the gov't is offering. Yes they clean asses or provide personal care to these patients but there are also other things that they can do like give insulin injections and stuff (actually acting as private nurses). They can use this as a stepping stone, for sure these nurses wouldnt want to be just caregivers forever.

msdreamchaser · May 7, 2008

hi. i have read your post and i feel bad reading it. i know your efforts and concerns of having a brighter future for your family plus the efforts you exerted but i suggest a second thought on the matter. at times i am too glared with the offers of immediate hiring on these and there but you are a registered nurse and nclex passer on hte matter. why setlle to become a caregiver if you can settle for something more for sure it will take time and there will be agony on waiting but be patient, harvest time will also arrive.. just my pov