To volunteer or not to volunteer

[nylam]

Hi guys,

I am a registered nurse from the Philippines, ive been an RN for almost a year now, I work as an occupational health nurse, and i dont love what im doing (but im here because I need salary and at the same time i want to work as a nurse somehow). I want to work in a hospital but as we all know here in the philippines, if you want to work in the hospital you have to volunteer, no salary for a year or so. Even you have been promoted as staff you'd be paid of a salary which isnt even enough for your personal needs. Now I'm confused on what I should do, where do i start, what do i aim for, of course i'd love to work abroad just like every nurses had ever dreamed of, but i have no idea how and when, should i volunteer. I know this post is very general and broad, but you know how it feels to be a newbie, i dont even know what to ask. No one could guide me. Please help me guys. Any advice of any matter would do I feel like an empty can, I know youve felt the same way at first. THANK YOU.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

thread moved for best response

[xyzabcd]

i believe the first thing you should do is to identify what is it that you really want. if you want to be a nurse in the hospitals, you have to take the risk of having trainings. but choose wisely if which hospitals offer worth trainings and high probability of hiring after the training.

[nylam]

thanks for the respobse i really need a good talk. im taking my masters, if i volunteer i wont be able to continue it for financial reasons, my salary provides for my tuition. What do you think is more worthy? education or the training? btw my salary is just enough but higher than those of the staff nurses' here.

[simonppn, BSN]

hi. if you are if you are planning to go abroad then set a plan, i mean what country do you aim for and try to do little reasearch about the requirements for the application.

If your work right now suffice your financial need in your masters degree, i suggest you finish first your masters and continue your job as an occupational health nurse then after, look now for a hospital experience since its one of the requirements going abroad.

[xyzabcd]

listen nylam, if your goal is to work abroad, my answer to your question is training or hospital experience. how old are you? if you want to work in a hospital, when do you plan to start?. if i were you i will take risk on following my dream to work in the hospital. hospital experience is the primary requirement than masterals if you wish to work abroad. you must have at least 1 year of hosp. experience. i am not discouraging you on taking masterals but if you cannot have them both, choose one. there are hospitals which offer trainings with high probability of hiring when you performed well like wcc, makati med, st lukes global not qc, medical city and many more. again, just know what you really want in life, what your heart dictates you, your heart's desire. follow your heart if you know how to listen to your heart. you can ask God for signs if its time for you to change path

[Sisjenboni]

Hi I'm working here in London. When i graduated there was no job at all for newly grad if you want to go abroad you need to work in the hospital. Taking higher education is useful in Philippines or maybe in other countries but if your thinking for UK its not really necessary you can access continuing education here for free. Sticking to your profession is most likely taking you to your dream.

feel free to ask questions.

[mikeru22]

Hello nylam! It's really hard to decide whether to volunteer or not to volunteer at first. Like you, I never considered volunteering or enrolling in any residency/ training programs with fees when I just passed the board exam and because of this ideal I stood firmly on, it took me 6 long pain-staking years to finally be able to practice nursing. I realized my real issue were my pride, arrogance and over inflated self-confidence. Somehow those 6 long years I had to endure while waiting for opportunities to finally practice nursing made me yearn to practice it even more. It came to a point when I became too desperate that I chose to break all those ideals all at once and find a hospital where I can volunteer or pay just to be trained.

If you are not yet supporting a family and your family can afford to support you while volunteering or training, I suggest that you grab any opportunity you would have as early as now. Volunteering or enrolling to any training programs in hospitals isn't totally a bad thing because it would equip you with skills and experiences you never acquired when you were still a student and it would also broaden your connections and who knows, through that you would come across someone who could help you become a staff nurse.

You really need to invest a lot at first and don't ever think that finally getting employed in a hospital as a staff is the ultimate goal. The only thing I can tell you now is forget all the set back of volunteering and working in hospitals with meager income while you are still starting because this way of thinking certainly won't help you. Nursing and practicing it take more than just thinking of the compensation and the benefit you would get because in reality, life which we nurses are entrusted is priceless. It requires a lot of patience, perseverance, effort and passion more specially when you are already a staff nurse handling 10 or more patients in a ward and the patients, relatives and even the Doctors and your fellow nurses are altogether calling your attention because they need something from you.

Get all the experience you can get and decide later if it is all worthy. Goodluck!