I have a few questions on what actual clinical training experience that you are getting in the current programs being offered in your country.
I am repeatedly hearing that most procedures are not being done while in clinical training, and that you are having to learn them once you graduate in some of the post-grad training programs.
Also hearing that there are quite a few clinical instructors that do not have any clinical experience and are now teaching students. How can that be done, when the teacher never learned the procedure in the first place and has no experience doing it?
I have seen about six nurses fired in the past six months due to their lack of clinical skills, and basic ones at that. I want to see what needs to be done to get this corrected before you even arrive over here.
Skills that are lacking are ones that even the nursing assistants can do over here. The training is definitely not the same as it was in the past when the repitation for the skills of the nurses from your country were established.
What do you think that we can do to fix it? Hospitals do not want to fire someone and will do everything in their power not to. But with salaries up the way that they are in some areas, they cannot afford to keep someone in orientation much longer than normal.
I am willing to see what I can do to help, but I need your input and help on this. Any suggestions?
I share your sentiments, janfrn..though we are just posting our observations (those of us who have studied and worked/are working here). Though the stories here have been scary and more on the negative side, it is not like this everywhere in the Philippines and one can still study and train well here. It is just a matter of knowing where to go (so please be careful and wise). Though it will not be up to par with US standards, one can still make the most of his or her time here learning. The difference (good vs. bad hospital) is as stark as using infusion pumps for critical meds. vs. not using them at all (!), using IV start kits vs. reusing needles if out of vein, carrying out patient care surveys before discharge vs. shouting at the patient for being noncompliant with orders/instructions, etc. Really, it is also up to the RN and what his or her motives are in becoming a nurse. It is obvious many of us want to live a better life and provide for our families but that reason alone will not compel a nurse to become a competent, caring, professional RN. The nurse has to want to be that for other reasons. For a service-oriented profession such as nursing where lives are literally in our hands, i also don't see how one can afford to be nonchalant about this issue. As a Filipino (kinda), i too would like to see my fellow Filipinos succeed and do well abroad. I admit it is shameful to have to relate to substandard nurses in countries where nurses almost DEMAND/EXPECT to be treated as professionals (rightly so but the nurse should meet the expectations of the job too). With that privilege there is also the responsibility and duty to perform.
The person who chooses to be an RN here in the Philippines must just be careful in choosing schools, hospitals, programs, etc. and work to improve him or herself since we cannot change the system (too much dirt). We live in a "get rich quick" society where everyone wants instant results, shortcuts and the easy way to the gold. Ah, well...the temptation...
is it an accelerated program wheren the proper clinical experiences are severely lacking or not even done? completing a program there in 9 months is not going to fly in the us, and we have all seen the results of those that have tried those.
ack! 9 months there is nothing! even 2 years to be honest with you, it is not safe at all, that will be an insult to the nursing profession!
ack! 9 months there is nothing! even 2 years to be honest with you, it is not safe at all, that will be an insult to the nursing profession!
that is what many of the programs there now are doing. especaiily the second courser programs. if you go back and look at some of the postings here about west negros you will see that is exactly what they did. 9 months and most of them had 55 hours per term and since they were supposedly double scheduled for clinical and theory, they went to class. so absilutely no clinical skills whatsoever, but of course, they were signed off as being in clinicals.
that program is being investigated by the us government as well as some others. you started your program a few years ago. now it has gotten quite scary. you never used to see new nurses fired for not having the skills once they should be done with their orientation, and because ca pays more, they are also firing now. there have been some new nurses that have been in orientation for a year. sorry, but that means that their program was seriously lacking, and guess where they were from and what type of program that they were in.
just because someone goes there to get a degree, it does not mean that employers are going to be jumping up and down to hire them. and right now, with things the way that they are and i was the employer here, i would much prefer someone that graduated from there 10 years ago and completed a real four year program at a real school and has not worked in the profession, over a new grad coming out of many programs from there right now. at least i know that they really had a thorough education and most skills you do not forget. if you never learned them the first time, that is where the problem is.
just because the nurse has a us passport or green card, it does not make them automatically wanted. it is going to come down to the program that they went to and the skills that they learned. and getting fired does cause issues when you are first starting out.
ack! 9 months there is nothing! even 2 years to be honest with you, it is not safe at all, that will be an insult to the nursing profession!
purplecotton
76 Posts
I share your sentiments, janfrn..though we are just posting our observations (those of us who have studied and worked/are working here). Though the stories here have been scary and more on the negative side, it is not like this everywhere in the Philippines and one can still study and train well here. It is just a matter of knowing where to go (so please be careful and wise). Though it will not be up to par with US standards, one can still make the most of his or her time here learning. The difference (good vs. bad hospital) is as stark as using infusion pumps for critical meds. vs. not using them at all (!), using IV start kits vs. reusing needles if out of vein, carrying out patient care surveys before discharge vs. shouting at the patient for being noncompliant with orders/instructions, etc. Really, it is also up to the RN and what his or her motives are in becoming a nurse. It is obvious many of us want to live a better life and provide for our families but that reason alone will not compel a nurse to become a competent, caring, professional RN. The nurse has to want to be that for other reasons. For a service-oriented profession such as nursing where lives are literally in our hands, i also don't see how one can afford to be nonchalant about this issue. As a Filipino (kinda), i too would like to see my fellow Filipinos succeed and do well abroad. I admit it is shameful to have to relate to substandard nurses in countries where nurses almost DEMAND/EXPECT to be treated as professionals (rightly so but the nurse should meet the expectations of the job too). With that privilege there is also the responsibility and duty to perform.
The person who chooses to be an RN here in the Philippines must just be careful in choosing schools, hospitals, programs, etc. and work to improve him or herself since we cannot change the system (too much dirt). We live in a "get rich quick" society where everyone wants instant results, shortcuts and the easy way to the gold. Ah, well...the temptation...