Stop Foreign Nurses

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2008

I am a foreign RN working in the US. English is my first language and I aggree the nursing culture in my hospital is very different from anything I have ever experienced in my country. Doctors in my hospital rule, period. Nurses are handmaidens who follow orders. this is something not practiced in my country we worked extreemly hard to establish ourselves as professionals in our own right.

I wont accept poor working conditions, I do not accept Doctors shouting and yelling at the nursing station and I certainly do not sit quietly allowing any bullying or intimidation of myself or fellow workers. I am pro-active and voice my opinion. Plus I certainly dont work for poor wages.

I spend a lot of time working with students, new members of staff helping ensure a smooth transition. I have a huge nursing education and I am more than willing to share my knowledge and experience of nursing for 17 years in my own country. I feel I am an asset to my floor, and I enjoy my fellow collegues who have helped me make the transition.

StopForeignNurses · Jul 10, 2008

Yes it probably would to those were discussing but too bad it is on everyones mind and it needs to come out of the shadows.

StopForeignNurses · Jul 10, 2008

We need a powerful National labor Union of RN/LPN's and then we will as a politically powerful group determine the policy's of healthcare through one national voice.

Nursebarebari · Jul 10, 2008

Foreign Nurses coming to work in our Health Care facilities are the most serious threat to our professional security. They threaten our earning potential as well as are pushing us out of the Long Term Care environment. Kindred Healthcare is one of the biggest offenders. What are your views on this most serious matter now facing our profession.

You seem to be insecured and feel threatened by forriegn nurses. If I were you, I would rather focus on being the best nurse I can be. The so call LTC facilities look for good nurses to hire and do not care where they come from, so get a life and stop c/o about foreign nurse!

morte, LPN, LVN · Jul 10, 2008

You seem to be insecured and feel threatened by forriegn nurses. If I were you, I would rather focus on being the best nurse I can be. The so call LTC facilities look for good nurses to hire and do not care where they come from, so get a life and stop c/o about foreign nurse!

me thinks you have missed his point, and i doubt you have read karen's additions to this thread....

StopForeignNurses · Jul 10, 2008

The comment that Kindred is the worst offender? As a Kindred employee in both a LTC and an LTAC, I have to say I have only worked with ONE foreign nurse, and she is awesome. Not to mention, she is no longer "foreign" to me, she is in the process of naturalization, so she will be just as American as you and I.

see http://www.hamill-law.com/kindred_lawsuit.html

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/22/nurses_aide_gets_suspended_sentence_for_abuse/

Nursebarebari · Jul 10, 2008

Foreign Nurses coming to work in our Health Care facilities are the most serious threat to our professional security. They threaten our earning potential as well as are pushing us out of the Long Term Care environment. Kindred Healthcare is one of the biggest offenders. What are your views on this most serious matter now facing our profession.

I am sure that when or if they do away with foreign nurses, you will find another group as a threat to your proffession.

imanedrn · Jul 10, 2008

It is nothing personal with them, it's just that I believe in protecting our profession. The shortage maintains our wages, supply and demand. Bring in cheaper alternatives and bring in lower wages and less job security.

This doesn't sound like a rational argument, but one of bigotry -- like stopping ANY foreign workers from entering the U.S. because "they" will take "our" jobs. Last time I checked, this country was built on the sweat AND blood of "foreigners" -- my family (German and Irish immigrants) included!

Additionally, there still continues to be a MAJOR nursing shortage, esp. in teaching and on med/surg units. Many of the "foreign" nurses with whom I work are incredibly skilled and caring, better than their "native" counterparts. I'm quite happy to know that my unit is fully staffed, and I don't have to worry about compromising patient safety because my hospital believed that they could hire "foreigners" for "cheap money."

That being said, they are not "cheaper alternatives." You're not talking about "foreigners" coming over to pick fruit for $2/day because no red-blooded American would "lower" themselves to this standard. In my hospital system, employees are paid on a tier system -- starting from no experience (as I was as a new grad) to X number of years. Someone from the Phillipines with no experience would be paid the same starting wage I was, just as someone from the Phillipines with 5 years of experience would be paid the same as another "native" RN with 5 years of experience.

I have to fall back on the bigotry again. It sounds like there's no logic to your argument other than plain old-fashioned bigotry.

It's sooo hard for me to believe the ignorance in some people's statements at times...

WTH?! :angryfire

imanedrn · Jul 10, 2008

see http://www.hamill-law.com/kindred_lawsuit.html
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/22/nurses_aide_gets_suspended_sentence_for_abuse/

These cases allege abuse. Last time I checked my BON's listing of alleged abuse charges, the names appeared to come from EVERY category of the race catalogue -- not just "foreigners.

imanedrn · Jul 10, 2008

It is well known that some countries with corrupt institutions and governments have diploma mills. Documentation is provided and a fee is paid and training is provided to pass exams. Do some research on-line and elsewhere.

And those nurses are easily snatched up if they're incompetent in their work place! States BONs protect patients, not nurses.

What about the American nurses who have a great deal of training, experience, skill, etc. but are poor, unprofessional, demeaning, abusive nurses? The pendulum swings both ways!

RN1982 · Jul 10, 2008

Ranaazha, I agree with everything you have posted. Unfortunately, ignorance breeds lies. i don't think no amount of rational and educated thinking will change the OP's mind.

imanedrn · Jul 10, 2008

I don't have to defend myself. Besides you opinion will soon be in the minority once nurses are better educated on this.. This will be my last reply. Only interested in nurses that will listen.

What happened to asking our views on this matter? Doesn't that typically mean you want open dialogue -- not just responses from those who agree with you? Bah!