Question for those who work with a majority of Filipino nurses

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Our local hospital is staffed with approximately 80% Filipino nurses. I am doing my pre reqs to get into one of the health care programs at our community college and I was wondering, for those of you that work with a majority of filipino nurses, are they friendly and helpful to you or are they very cliquesh and standoffish in general?

Of course, everyone is an individual and may or may not act differently than someone else but Im talking in general here.

One of the reason's (there a few others) I have for thinking of skipping the RN program is that the majority of the RN's in my towns hospital are filipino and I dont want them to be hostile towards me or treat me like an outsider since I'm American.

Are my fears justified?

Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
our local hospital is staffed with approximately 80% filipino nurses. i am doing my pre reqs to get into one of the health care programs at our community college and i was wondering, for those of you that work with a majority of filipino nurses, are they friendly and helpful to you or are they very cliquesh and standoffish in general?

of course, everyone is an individual and may or may not act differently than someone else but im talking in general here.

one of the reason's (there a few others) i have for thinking of skipping the rn program is that the majority of the rn's in my towns hospital are filipino and i dont want them to be hostile towards me or treat me like an outsider since i'm american.

are my fears justified?

really? how old are you? are all the doctors in the hospitals all americans? is this one of your criteria as well on choosing your future career?

and how do you know these people are not americans? i was born in the philippines and i am an american. or are you talking about skin color?

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Specializes in Medicine.

During clinical placements, I have worked with many people of different ethnicities and a few of them were Filipino's. I can honestly say they were hardworking, respectful and quick to help when I asked for assistance. Every place you go there will be a few bad apples but that is not (or should not) be based on their race/nationality but because they just have a bad personality or attitude.

If this is how you want to choose your career, then I don't think nursing would suit you very well because you will meet the nasty and the kind. They sure come in all shapes, forms, colours and sizes.

Please think about how you're generalizing a whole group of people based on what you heard. I think you should first meet them and see for yourself.

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I work in a town where 60% of the Rn's are Philippino; some are fabulous. some are awful.

My only complaint is that most of them have HORRIBLE English skills, and need to do better.

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I also had a problem with the clique, they would all go and eat together and leave me on the floor by myself. They often excluded me from their conversations mainly because they spoke their language at the nurses station. This is night shift so they get away with it. I moved to dayshift because of the problems and I am much happier.

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Specializes in GERIATRICS,HOSPICE,MENTAL/PHYS DISABILED.
I also had a problem with the clique, they would all go and eat together and leave me on the floor by myself. They often excluded me from their conversations mainly because they spoke their language at the nurses station. This is night shift so they get away with it. I moved to dayshift because of the problems and I am much happier.

I'm sorry, but this sounds so grade-schoolish. "They won't talk to me! They won't be my friends!"

I mean, really people? This can be anyone from any ethnicity. Of course they'll speak their language-they're Filippino & its obviously what they're comfortable with! Just like you might speak your language somewhere & someone else may not understand you. I guess that would make you a bad person.

To quote one of my previous nursing instructors, "Whah, Whah, Whah...Call the Whambulance!'

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You are wise to think this now! I experienced exactly what you are worried about. I had been a nurse for 12 years before I went to a community hospital to work , where about 60% are Filipino nurses, because the hospital sponsored many Filipino nurses to immigrant to US. And per contract they should work in the hospital for 4 years before they can look for another new job in US. But many stayed there for 20 + years and a few left, then more and more are coming every year. Some of them are nice, but I had a very bad experience with two of them, they often talk in their own language to curse me or others, and they have cliques, but they don't know that I understand some of their language. But I was alone, a foreigner, from a different country, I didn't have support and energy to deal with them. I thought that the nursing job is already very stressful, I don't have to deal with so much politics, so I left the hospital. Now I am working in a different hospital, still stressful, but I feel safer!!!

It takes two to tango. This is your side of the story...what's theirs?

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I also had a problem with the clique, they would all go and eat together and leave me on the floor by myself. They often excluded me from their conversations mainly because they spoke their language at the nurses station. This is night shift so they get away with it. I moved to dayshift because of the problems and I am much happier.

Really? Did you extend frienship and was it rebutted?Or did you just assume all this?Perhaps I'm biased because I've met the good ones:)

But really, I'd speak up for anyone I thought wasn't getting a fair deal. I play advocate a lot.LOL

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

All Nurses exists to form cohesiveness in nursing, not divisiveness. Generalizations are just that, divisive.

Everyone is individual and you must judge people on an individual basis not as an entire race, gender, ethnicity.

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