Protection for Volunteer/ Trainee Nurses

[potatomasher]

Hello all!

It seems to me that hospitals in the Philippines are taking advantage of the nursing surplus. Every 6 months or so, there are thousands of nurses getting their degrees. A few of them get into hospitals, and if they do they get stuck in what I called the nursing volunteer limbo. Worse if it's only nurse trainee program. I heard that some foreign employers don't take credit of the volunteer/trainee nurse experience for qualifications. They want a paid job.

So why can't hospital issue a certificate nurse volunteer staff? I see this kind of exploitation. The nurse volunteer works the same hours, the same liabilities and the same risks as that of the staff and yet they don't get any stipend let alone an allowance for their efforts and what's worse is that the hospital will only issue some sort of training certificate that in fact the nurse volunteer HAD functioned like the responsibility of the staff.

Is there any organization that could address this "minute" and unspeakable exploitation? Should PNA address this problem? If not, what organization?

Jan

[Nurse_PUKYAW]

hello all!

it seems to me that hospitals in the philippines are taking advantage of the nursing surplus. every 6 months or so, there are thousands of nurses getting their degrees. a few of them get into hospitals, and if they do they get stuck in what i called the nursing volunteer limbo. worse if it's only nurse trainee program. i heard that some foreign employers don't take credit of the volunteer/trainee nurse experience for qualifications. they want a paid job.

so why can't hospital issue a certificate nurse volunteer staff? i see this kind of exploitation. the nurse volunteer works the same hours, the same liabilities and the same risks as that of the staff and yet they don't get any stipend let alone an allowance for their efforts and what's worse is that the hospital will only issue some sort of training certificate that in fact the nurse volunteer had functioned like the responsibility of the staff.

is there any organization that could address this "minute" and unspeakable exploitation? should pna address this problem? if not, what organization?

jan

you right is better to issue volunteer staff certificate rather than trainee certificate's. volunteer nurses do more jobs than the regular staffs and that's a fact , the staff will tell you to capitalized on the opportunity that they give you to practice your license blah blah. the thing is they just want to take a breather or even nap while your covering for them!!! its getting tiresome already pna and our government is not doing anything and whats new???

pna where are you??? :argue:

[potatomasher]

This should remind us of a wake up call that it's already becoming too much. Fresh grad nurses are not cows that they can harness to "run" their hospitals while the paid staff nurses do nothing. Well, not all but some. I had the same experience too while being a "trainee" for a local public hospital. The staff was sleeping the whole night shift while I administered medications, did IV follow-ups and did other nursing interventions. In the morning she woke up, brushed her teeth and then waited for the next shift to accept her endorsement.

PNA wake up please. Is there a code of ethics too for this?

[piquant]

whats does it say in the training certificate? does it mention the job responsibilities you did and the working/shifting hours you covered?

[arvicharlie]

yeah that's what i also thought about being a volunteer nurse. it is a crap! i know some people who actually had volunteered in a hospital for almost a year. until now their status in that hospital has not change even though its pretty obvious that the hospital needed more staff nurses because of the nurse patinet ratio. these kinds of hospitals won't hire nurse as long as there are those who are willing to volunteer or work like a real staff nurse but doesn't receive any kind of compensation that a staff nurse deserves!

[medic8]

and new nurses, where are you? still getting yourselves into these kind of crap? if the gov't or PNA can't do anything, then start with yourself... boycott!!!

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

If they can use you as a volunteer, then they can also employ you. Apparently they have room for you to work for free. You're being EXPLOITED, and you need to go to your government to abolish this or else THEY'RE NOT GETTING YOUR VOTE NEXT ELECTION. Your BRN and also any organization that assists nurses needs to get on this and fix this.

[LadyHazy]

I must agree that the practice of accepting volunteer nurses (and even forcing them to pay for their own training) must be stopped. Even with volunteers, hospitals need more nurses (nurse-patient ratio up to 1:40) and yet, most refuse to employ new nurses to cut costs.

I know that PNA is very much against this practice and it actively discourages, in my chapter at least, RNs from accepting volunteer positions. However, fact is that for every volunteer position rejected by an RN, there are literally hundreds of other new nurses willing to take it. Why? Because these nurses are desperate to get the work experience they need to go abroad. In addition, the Philippine government seems to have no interest in improving the working conditions of nurses. Therefore, a nationwide boycott would be difficult.

Perhaps we should be looking into alternate solutions such as moving to impose a sanction on hospitals who accept nurse volunteers or, at least, do not offer them employment after six months of training.

[Hushdawg]

Pinoy Nurses! Put pressure on PNA to lobby the congressmen/women.

Join Political Action Committees like Ang Nars to make the voice heard loud and clear.

Put pressure.. don't just complain and take it.

Fight the system and make real change!

Get PNA to pressure the hospitals

Get Congress to allow CHED to shut down illegitimate schools and review centers again.

Push the government officials to do their damn jobs!!!

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

But RN's can't work abroad unless they have PAID EXPERIENCE. Volunteering looks great on a resume, but you can't get employment with it in the US. As I've stated, threaten not to vote for these politicians unless they improve conditions in the hospitals and also stop the exploitation of RN's in the Philippines. Why are you going to want to work for free? This is rediculous, ask them if they're willing to work for free.

[ilovetiggerdear, LPN, LVN]

As much as I am against UNPAID NURSING WORK, I have subjected myself to almost 8 months of this crap in 2 different hospitals. Why? I need the experience. I need the skills. I need to improve my knowledge. I need "connections". And most importantly, a lot if not all of the local hospitals would ONLY hire those who volunteered/trained with them (well if you know someone from inside then that would also get you hired). Never mind that I have a high board rating or that I got good grades in school or that I have excellent nursings skills. The PNA can't do a damn thing and government officials are too busy putting money in their pockets to notice this so called exploitation. So what should an unemployed nurse do?

[medic8]

Dissent without action is consent

-Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim