Rene3

Snowbella, You have a BIG problem indeed, If at this time your adviser cannot help you in formulating a cohesive statement of the problem and a hypothesis, how could she help you further on. I have several questions first, will you implement this research of yours? Why this topic? Did you search for studies with regard to this topic? How many? How recent? If you will implement it, where will you get your subjects? How many? How many patient to each intervention group? Do you really want an experimental research? You have a picture of what you want to do but you need an adviser to guide you through the process. I am concerned that you are having difficulty now at this stage, how much more later.

Try to contact a parish nurse in an African American community. She/he would be a great resource. Ive used books and internet resources but in my opinion, nothing beats immersion in the culture itself. The parish nurse can facilitate your entry to the community. I volunteered to help the parish nurse in her health programs like blood pressure screening, day care program, health ministry,bible study group etc. In the process I have gained invaluable perspective about African Americans first hand. Ive attended their Sunday services ( how can I forget those big hats granny wore on Sundays?), seen their dances as well as their songs. They have also shared their food with me. The experience helped me formulate a health program tailor made for them. Try to use Leiningers theory , it would also help.

I would suggest "Nurse's Drug Handbook by Spratto and Woods. I like its presentation of drug action and nursing action/implication. You can also download the online version to your PDA. They also discussed the medications according to classification. It helps me learn more about medication studying it per classification rather than one by one. Good luck

Its nice that you considered Iloilo and Davao. St. Pauls University Iloilo and West Visayas State University were consistent topnotchers on the NLE. WVSU dont accept second coursers as a policy. You can try http://www.spusystem.edu.ph/ . St Pauls Iloilo is one of the six schools. You can also try St. Pauls Tuguegarao . Dont try anything foolish, the nuns will be watching you. Good for your spirituality.

Just continue to use your maiden name. You are not compelled to change your surname . I have known a lot of married Americans still using their maiden names . I know that it is a practice in the Philippines to assume right away the surname of the husband. In the US some women were well known with their maiden name so they continue to use it. You can change your surname later when it is convenient to you.

"American graduate nurses, take the NCLEX as soon as they graduate and most don't take review courses or if they do it is a very brief course ( a week). and they have a higher rate of passing." Its true that the passing rate of US nurses is higher than International nurses, and it should be. It would be a shame if US nurses would be outdone on their own turf. As to the review courses lets put it this way.The Philippines trains its nurses for its own need which is different than of the US. The way of teaching is different as well as the culture and health care delivery. If a Phil. RN would want to work in the US, then he or she should know what were those concepts that were peculiar only to the US setting. Phil nurses has to study how healthcare is being provided to the Americans. They have to know what HIPAA is , EMTALA, JCAHO, no family at the pt bedside to sit. They have to know that they will be responsible for LVN/LPN (since they were all BSN) once they start working. Phil RN will be slow at first but they will catch up sooner or later. Pyxis and Omnicell can be learned in a day or two and even sooner once you are in the system.( I could see the eyes of the seasoned nurse rolling when a new RN uses a Pyxis, looong lines) . International nurses have just to learn it on their own. Experience is the best teacher.

Continue with your volunteer work until you have your Masters Degree. Then you can become a CI. I suggest you pursue a doctoral degree. When the time comes that your petition is approved, you have an edge. i suggest that you conduct research and have it published in a peer reviewed journal. If at that time your petition is still in limbo you have other opportunity .

Ava the mere fact that your fervor and idealism has not diminished is a very good sign that there are more of you who do care for the future of Philippine Nursing. I do believe that Filipino nurses were just bidding their time. I do hope that Filipino nurses will unite for the betterment of future nurses. I would suggest to those Nurses working abroad to come home and visit for a month or two( I know , I know ,Its difficult have a vacation leave) and give a lecture or a seminar to your respective alma mater. How many of you were NPs, CCRN, clinical specialist, with advance degree, PHd, DNSc. The experience and perspectives would be a priceless contribution. To those RN who will retire soon, you can be an invaluable addition to the faculty of nursing schools in the Philippines. Dont despair Ava. Lets do our share. I will see the fruit of my toil in 3 years on my students. Wheter nursing will be the means or the end, I work hard to make nursing their way of life.

"we are payed well because we are nurses...." I really want to believe it but reality bites. Nurses will only be paid on how well nurses negotiate our pay. I admire those who doesnt do nursing for the pay but on the other hand, how can nurses gauge our worth as compared to other profession. Would it be fair for us to receive less than our non nursing health workers? We are practically the lifeblood of the hospitals. How many death, failure to rescue, falls, med errors are attributed to low staffing. We can put it in another way. Why do MD work straight , sometimes 24H a day. My answer, its worth it. they were paid well. Whatever risk they have , for them its compensated. If a profession is in great demand,people will pay for what you were worth. Were nurses not worth their pay? For me, anybody can dream to be a nurse, however if ever you become one, just do your job well. I like what Peplau has to say about it:" The reason why you become a nurse is not important, Its the reason you stayed".

Nursing shortage needs to be mitigated. I suppose US RN would not want immigrants to solve the problem for them. Understandably especially during these times, however the fact remains that the US could not meet its needs. The recession has prompted many former nurses to work again thus easing the need for now. How about the need after 2-3 years when the economy improves. I have seen how many of my former colleagues were more mature as compared to other country like the Philippines. I agree to the suggestion to raise the pay and hire more instructors. If a MSN with years of experience will be given $100,000 as starting pay, I am sure a lot of my more mature co workers with MSN would be enticed to teach. I have seen them and even benefited from their teachings in the unit. I guess it would help them lessen the strain on their back. I was agashed to see many 55+ nurses still working on the bedside lifting 200 lbs patients. I admire their tenacity and wisdom. Im thinking if they leave in a few years, who will fill in the vacuum? Teachers paid well=more RN willing to do graduate studies = more teachers= more capacity in nursing school = more US nurses.

Good Day, Apply only in schools that have 85-100% in NLE. The list is found on the PRC website.Take the NLE.Since you are a dual citizen you can go back to the US easily without immigration problems.You can work in the US while waiting for your application to sit on the NCLEX. Check the states that allow a temporary permit. If you are not allowed, you can still find a job a unit secretary or a non licensed staff. I have co workers who started as a CNA, Unit secretary that are taking up nursing and eventually became nurses. The transition will be smoother. Goodluck!!!

What happened during mid-1990's? You are right, nurses had a difficult time finding jobs. Sorry for your sister, when she graduated in 1995 and probably passed the NLE in Aug of 95, only to find out that in Sept of that year, The H1A visa, the working visa specific for nurses ended. At that time, Filipino nurses wants to work only. When they like it, they apply for an immigrant visa. All you need at that time was to pass the CGFNS exam, and you are set. You can even apply for a temporary permit and get your license. CGFNS has an english component at that time. Since the H1A lapsed, the US gov enacted "The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996". They however failed to have its implementing rules and regulation thus only very few were able to immigrate to the US from 95-2000. Once the implementing RR were in place, it paved the way for nurses to apply to the US. Those who graduated from 95-98 were eager to go, thus the Phil gov screaming BRAIN DRAIN!!! Every year more and more nurses applied that a huge backlog ensued until the present. Suzanne is right that there is a boom bust cycle every 5 years. It is happening again. 95 closed, 2000-2005 open, 2006-2010 closed. I think, the current nursing boom in the Phil will taper down as what happened in mid 1990s. in 94-95 40,000-45000 nurses took the NLE with more than a half became RNs, in 98 onlt 8,000 took the NLE with about 4000 eventually becoming RN. A very sharp drop. It will happen again, schools will close again, I do hope that it will weed out the poor NLE perfomers. To the Filipino nurses, the retrogression will eventually be lifted sooner or later, just be prepared, enhance your skills. The US nurses are aging (45 in 2010) The oldest baby boomer will be 65 next year and there are 70+ million of them. The shortage is compounded by the inability to hire new teachers . Immigration is a touchy issue now in the US especially due to the Recession. Importing international nurses is the LAST resort for them if ever it is one solution. It is a cycle, when will the wheel turn ? its anybodys guess.

I like San Antonio, people are nice. You can scout the medical center area, Methodist, VA, Baptist, Cristus Sta Rosa plus a number of longterm care facility, dialysis center etc. Plenty of Apartments too. Yes, you can stay at extended stay hotel within the medical center zip code.

Every hospital has their own policy with regards to calling in sick. Some hospitals have 6-7 calling in sick allowance per YEAR. SO be very careful not to use all your sick call. In some facility, you are called or reminded when you have 4 on more calling in sick whether it is valid or not.You have also to consider your coworkers who may be affected once you call in sick, Some may take an extra patient beyond the norn in a unit. However if you are truly sick then stand your ground. You dont want to work and compromise the safety of your patient . If I am not well, I could not think critically at times so especially on a high acuity environment. Good luck

Congratulations LuvPedsNrsg!!! Consider this, only a few nurses were invited to the society every year. The prestige, belongingness , support for future research endeavor is worth every penny. You can use every edge you can get to get ahead among your peers in todays very competitive nursing environment. STTI is well known all over the world. It is an international organization with the bulk of its membership US based. The current leadership is trying to make it truly international. I agree it is pricy, I have to scrape the barrel to pay the membership fee but I did not regret it. I agree, it looks real nice on your resume . It is extra special for a foreign educated nurse like me to be considered for membership in an honor society by my peers in the US . You were invited for your potential to lead. The door is wide open... WELCOME!!!