in search of a NURSING SCHOOL IN THE PHILIPPINES?

[glazism]

this topic has been mentioned a lot but I wanted to get a direct answer. I am planning to study in the Philippines because the waiting list to get in the Nursing program here in CALIFORNIA is quite a wait. I am a US citizen and I understand that I will be considered an international student eventhough I am a dual citizen. I also understand that the environment is very different, but that is also one of the reasons why I want to study there...it's different. It is really not issue because I have lived there for a few years.

Back to I was saying, I am looking for a school where the courses that I have taken here in the US will be accredited. I have inquired in some schools, but they want me to start of as a freshmen. I have taken atleast 55 units and most of them are pre-requisite to get in the nursing program here, so I really don't see any reason why I should start all over. I want a school where I can get done ASAP.

Can anyone help? THANX

[woknblues]

first post...

anyways, i recommend that you work this problem backwards.. First, find and contact directly, US schools and identify the ones that have relaxed foreign graduated nurse education programs. I am a US citizen going to school in the Philippines. When I get my BSN, I have colleges that have already stated that they will accept my credentials lined up already (for further study). Make sure your college (in RP) is accredited. By the way, dual citizens are NOT required to complete the 2 year internship that "Filipino only" nationals do. Period. My GF is under that particular designation now. Nor do dual citizens have to enroll in NSTP.

We both had credits that we were able to transfer in, and some that were not. It wasn't a big deal, and we maybe lost a semester in time, overall... The hidden costs of studying in the Philippines are the most corrupt immigration officials on earth, and traveling back home on occasion. That can eat up a budget pretty good.

Rent/Food/transportation are great values though.

[john83, BSN, RN]

By the way, dual citizens are NOT required to complete the 2 year internship that "Filipino only" nationals do. Period. My GF is under that particular designation now. Nor do dual citizens have to enroll in NSTP.

I couldn't find such provision in the nursing law at least for graduates of privates schools at present.

Anyway, with state universities, such a provision was never implemented, so it's as good as a useless provision.

About the citizenship thing, I think ma'am Suzanne is correct, being a dual citizen will open up a pandora's box for that student. If he/she is willing to take the risks despite the warning given, then let that person be.

[RNHawaii34]

i couldn't find such provision in the nursing law at least for graduates of privates schools at present.

anyway, with state universities, such a provision was never implemented, so it's as good as a useless provision.

about the citizenship thing, i think ma'am suzanne is correct, being a dual citizen will open up a pandora's box for that student. if he/she is willing to take the risks despite the warning given, then let that person be.

i have friends who were dual citizens, and they didn't have a problem going back here in united states and finding a job. i think with fil nurses having a two years experience working in philippines seems reasonable. with many are trying to get of the country, it make sense. give them the feel of how hard it is to be a nurse in our home country. working in the u.s. setting is no joke. everyday your hard earned license is on the line.

[RNHawaii34]

hi rnhawaii,

i'm interested in finding out details about your schooling in the phils. i'm a fil/canadian living in the us on a temporary visa (husband has a job here). colleges here will treat me as intl student, so... i can't afford it! plus, i have an 11-month old baby. i earned by bachelor's degree in another field of study in the phils long long time ago (i'm probably a member of the older population here, ha, ha, ha) and also did some nursing prereqs. in canada in 2005. looks like my husband's visa will extended for another year before his employer applies for his green card. until then, i can't accept employment while in the us. having said that, i think studying in the phils (plus having a babysitter) is a good idea; however, i don't know which school. i'm also concerned about going back to first year and doing all the ge courses. i would appreciate any information you can share as regards transfer credits or treating students who already have previous degrees. thanks!

read my pm.

[woknblues]

about the citizenship thing, i think ma'am suzanne is correct, being a dual citizen will open up a pandora's box for that student. if he/she is willing to take the risks despite the warning given, then let that person be.

it certainly has its "risks"... but if the school is accredited, (the reason you check with the embassy is that the schools can have a "financial interest" in claiming to be accredited, whereas the embassy may well have a ched list of accredited schools, since they are not "bound" with the school. )

anyways, there are plenty of "foreign trained, foreign national" nurses in the us, how could being a "foreign trained american" be any more challenging? no toefl, no visa status problems, etc...

i have friends who were dual citizens, and they didn't have a problem going back here in united states and finding a job. i think with fil nurses having a two years experience working in philippines seems reasonable. with many are trying to get of the country, it make sense. give them the feel of how hard it is to be a nurse in our home country. working in the u.s. setting is no joke. everyday your hard earned license is on the line.

well, the problem is that the two years that they (philippine nationals)will have to undergo will likely be for no pay. how would anyone like to work for nothing for two years? my gfs aunt (philippine national) is doing that right now. the hospital works her 40 hours a week, no pay. she will be doing this for 2 years. then she will likely be paying some governmental official a bribe to complete her paperwork.

[suzanne4, RN]

first post...

anyways, i recommend that you work this problem backwards.. First, find and contact directly, US schools and identify the ones that have relaxed foreign graduated nurse education programs. I am a US citizen going to school in the Philippines. When I get my BSN, I have colleges that have already stated that they will accept my credentials lined up already (for further study). Make sure your college (in RP) is accredited. By the way, dual citizens are NOT required to complete the 2 year internship that "Filipino only" nationals do. Period. My GF is under that particular designation now. Nor do dual citizens have to enroll in NSTP.

We both had credits that we were able to transfer in, and some that were not. It wasn't a big deal, and we maybe lost a semester in time, overall... The hidden costs of studying in the Philippines are the most corrupt immigration officials on earth, and traveling back home on occasion. That can eat up a budget pretty good.

Rent/Food/transportation are great values though.

At the moment, there are no internships in place. And sorry, if you hold a citizenship in the Philippines, you can be required to meet the requirement as if you did not have it. The US passport does not cover you when you are in the Philippines and are also a citizen of there. This is the issue of being a dual citizen.

So not sure where you are coming up with that it does not need to be done, it is not required at the moment. And you could also be required to write the NLE if it becomes mandatory to have to work in the US. If you graduate from a country, and are a citizen of there, the requirements do not get waived for you.

And as a foreign grad, you still need to get the CES done if it is required, and meet the requirements for licensure as a foreign grad, and that could even mean having to write the CGFNS exam.

Immigration and licensure are two separate things entirely.

[suzanne4, RN]

first post...

anyways, i recommend that you work this problem backwards.. First, find and contact directly, US schools and identify the ones that have relaxed foreign graduated nurse education programs. I am a US citizen going to school in the Philippines. When I get my BSN, I have colleges that have already stated that they will accept my credentials lined up already (for further study). Make sure your college (in RP) is accredited. By the way, dual citizens are NOT required to complete the 2 year internship that "Filipino only" nationals do. Period. My GF is under that particular designation now. Nor do dual citizens have to enroll in NSTP.

We both had credits that we were able to transfer in, and some that were not. It wasn't a big deal, and we maybe lost a semester in time, overall... The hidden costs of studying in the Philippines are the most corrupt immigration officials on earth, and traveling back home on occasion. That can eat up a budget pretty good.

Rent/Food/transportation are great values though.

Word of advice:

You have gone back to complete the RN program, you have not completed it, nor have you gone thru the licensing procedure, or anything else associated with that. Things can change at any given time in PI, and we are quite aware of it. And have seen the changes that have occurred there, and we will continue to see changes.

And for the aunt that is a two year internship, not sure what she is actually doing as there are no mandatory internships in PI as of now. They have not been there for some time but we expect to see them again in the next year or two. And if you still hold citizenship in PI, then this is not going to be waived, as it will be required to be completed before you can get your Diploma. At least that is what we are hoping that they will do.

And you will always be considered a foreign grad, no matter what you do in your career and will always have to go thru different licensing procedures as such.

So please, truly check out your research before posting it as fact.

And you can have colleges lined up, but you forget that it will take you months before you can even write the NCLEX exam, it will not be immediate for you in any state. And most MSN programs require the RN after your name before you can start.

[suzanne4, RN]

And a dual citizenship does not waive your rights as a Philippine national, you need to meet those requirements if they become the rule.

And as an American citizen, when you are back in your other country, you are a citizen there and are bound by their laws. The US passport does not waive that for you, if you hold citizenship there.

That is why we tell most not to maintain the dual citizenship. That is your choice to make, but then you need to live with the requirements that can be made.

[woknblues]

At the moment, there are no internships in place. And sorry, if you hold a citizenship in the Philippines, you can be required to meet the requirement as if you did not have it. The US passport does not cover you when you are in the Philippines and are also a citizen of there. This is the issue of being a dual citizen.

So not sure where you are coming up with that it does not need to be done, it is not required at the moment. And you could also be required to write the NLE if it becomes mandatory to have to work in the US. If you graduate from a country, and are a citizen of there, the requirements do not get waived for you.

And as a foreign grad, you still need to get the CES done, and meet the requirements for licensure as a foreign grad, and that could even mean having to write the CGFNS exam.

First, if something doesn't need to be done "yet", by definition, it still doesn't need to be done. Being afraid that there is a chance of something happening is pretty counterproductive. If someone does their research on this, I feel that it is an acceptable and managed risk. We are all doing that one way or another on a daily basis.

I know hundreds of Fil-Ams at my school, doing the very thing that the OP has inquired about. Most if not all of them, are in a very similar situation, and have older siblings/family/friends that have done this very thing as well.

I am coming up with that theory based upon my own actual experience, as well as inquiry and interview with hundreds of students doing the same thing.

I don't see how any number of punitive tests should be seen as a roadblock.... a hurdle, yes. CES is across the board for all foreign grads (Canada being the exception to the US I believe), NLE, CGFNS, TOEFLs et al... Accreditation covers your CES, and the other tests are just bureaucratic red tape. You study, pay the fee, write the test, hopefully pass....

As an American (that is what the thread is in regards to) I would find it shocking to have any trouble getting the requirements that I will need for employment in the US as a nurse, regardless of where I got my accredited education.

I will wager that there has never been a US passport holding citizen of the United States forced to perform 2 years of mandatory work in a foreign country (especially not the Philippines) under these circumstances, regardless of their "dual nationality status". Even in countries like Germany or Israel that require 2 years military service of its male citizens cannot hold your US passport or bar you from returning to the US.

Anyways, I am not sure if there is any disagreement here. I am constantly surprised by the way things are done in the Philippines, and in spite of it all, I love it here. I drove by an enormous group (probably 2-3000) people sleeping in front of the PRC office in Baguio last week. They have been there all week waiting for a piece of paper. Unreal.

Best of luck to all.

[suzanne4, RN]

To clear up a few things for you:

I am very well aware of the training that is going in PI right now, and am very aware of what the training was like more than 20 years ago plus. It is definitely not the same. All programs back then were excellent, there were none of these schools that have opened up to make a fast buck.

And if you have a US passport, and lets say an Israeli passport, you do not get the exemption of military service there. That does not get waived for you. And you are under that Israeli passport when you are in that country, not the US passport. This is what you are failing to see.

You are free to do as you please, but when insinuating that you know it all when you have not gone thru a licensing process in the US, nor even have attempted to get a job afterwards; is not fair to others here.

A US passport does not waive requirements of a citizen of another country when they are back in that country. And if Philippines puts in to effect anything, then you will have to follow that. And if it becomes mandatory, to make sure that it is done they can refuse to give you your Diploma or even transcripts, and those are needed for licensure. Does not matter who you are but you need to be able to get the Diploma and have the school submit transcripts to any BON. So nothing is a done deal until that is completed.

And right now, as we are hearing again, of nurses paying off instructors to get documented cases signed off on so that they can sit for the NLE, things are just getting uglier and uglier by the day. And as more of this keeps coming out, it is going to be harder to get a job in a hospital here, and it has been getting harder. Whether you wish to beleive it or not.

Your choice as to what to do, but please, it was your choice to go that route. It definitely does not mean that it was the best by any means.

And having a school tell you now that they will accept you in a few years for grad school means absolutely nothing. Until you have an actual set of transcripts to be evaluated, alot can happen. Even the person that you spoke to may not even be employed there. Same thing here, no school is going to tell you that we are going to accept you for grad school even if you are going there for your BSN until you finish and are evaluated with the other applicants. Or then you are turning our schools into something that I hope that we never see.

And how do you even know that you are going to want to go on to grad school at this point? Nothing is a definite, and I have seen so many change their minds thru the years.

I still stand by everything that I have stated, and have stated all along. You are free to do as you want. But without having any experience in it, not sure how you have decided that your way is 100% correct. I have seen it too many times not work out.

[suzanne4, RN]

And to add to my above, since you started me thinking about this:

Since the advent of these second courser programs that have been sprouting up like baby mice over there and when you get 15 students to a patient, your skill level will not be the same as someone that trained in the US no matter how you wish to call it.

And by being an American citizen, it still does not give you any prefernence with a job, and currently, there actually are many facilities that will not hire a nurse that trained in the Philippines in the past year or two. And yes, I am talking of California. And yes, where you did your training plays a big part on you getting hired, not that you do not need to be petitioned.

With all of the issues going on in PI right now, and they are not good issues, I would hope that many rethink their idea to train at home since it is faster and easier there. As I have been known to state over and over again:

Any time that you do something to try and take a shortcut, it will turn around and bite you. Same thing applies here.

[RNHawaii34]

it certainly has its "risks"... but if the school is accredited, (the reason you check with the embassy is that the schools can have a "financial interest" in claiming to be accredited, whereas the embassy may well have a ched list of accredited schools, since they are not "bound" with the school. )

anyways, there are plenty of "foreign trained, foreign national" nurses in the us, how could being a "foreign trained american" be any more challenging? no toefl, no visa status problems, etc...

well, the problem is that the two years that they (philippine nationals)will have to undergo will likely be for no pay. how would anyone like to work for nothing for two years? my gfs aunt (philippine national) is doing that right now. the hospital works her 40 hours a week, no pay. she will be doing this for 2 years. then she will likely be paying some governmental official a bribe to complete her paperwork.

did you just say " no pay"? wow, i didn't know that?! i don't think thats fair, and it's called " charity work".