Topic of the Day: GO AWAY FOREIGN NURSES!

caliotter3 · Dec 19, 2008

I hope you feel better after expressing your views and am sorry that you have encountered these situations. Everyone needs to be aware of their attitudes and behavior toward others. It is just how people get along in the world. Have a pleasant holiday season.

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Dec 19, 2008

No way should any one be discriminated, not for race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. I have not seen that here, I have read concern over nurses with poor training seeking the USA as the sole way to practice nursing. I have not seen race, religion, or sexual preference mentioned once as a reason for IEN not to come to the USA.

Unfortunately, the US is having hard economic times. This has impacted the need for importing nurses. I wish the economy was doing well so that there was a need to import nurses, but it isn't.

Happy Holidays whatever you celebrate.

Aelith · Dec 19, 2008

This is exactly how I feel each time I log into the International Forum. I don't feel welcome as a foreign born nurse. I don't feel respected as a minority in this country. All I feel is the hatred and insults thrown at us simply because we are not Americans.
So let's talk about it, since threads were locked and posts were deleted because they were "out of the topic" hence we could not freely express and justify how we feel about the criticisms on foreign born and/or foreign trained nurses. Each and every time I read something that "put down" certain minorities, it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Being discriminated all my life, I truly understand how other foreign nurses, especially the Filipino nurses, feel. No, you simply won't understand if you were not in our shoes.
Every one has his/her point of view on certain issues, but attacking, criticizing and (worst) making generalizations of other races, cultures and beliefs is just not right, insensitive and ethnocentric. Yes, we are immigrants, but you don't have to yell it to our face. The US would not have prosper if not for the immigrants. Don't forget your family or ancestors were once immigrants as well, unless you are Native Americans. So you have no rights to ask us get out if we are legally here, unless this is your native land. Remember, America is the land of opportunity that were built through slavery from Africa and Asia.
I wonder sometimes, how could you be a professional nurse if you are culturally insensitive? How could you offer the best care if all you think is your own self and your own beliefs, and disregard other culture and belief systems? I see nurses here with 30 plus years of experience do not practice the basic fundamental of nursing. Maybe they should go back to square one and learn it from Potter and Perry.
This IS an International forum. This forum is for every one regardless of age, gender, color, etc. If you say something culturally insensitive in other forum, maybe we will think that you are just plain stupid or has never been out of the country. But, if you are persistently saying something that insult and disgrace other cultures, races, nationality and etc, I think something should be done by the moderators...unless the moderators themselves are not sensitive enough on this issue as well.
Well, Merry Christmas everyone (no, I'm not Christian...but I know many are here) and thank you for listening.

Thank you for posting something I felt for a long time that I really couldn't put into words - just maybe too scared to even say something that will add more issues. I really hate the generalisation part especially when not all foreign nurses (especially filipino nurses like me) are dying to go to America. But the way some people try to drag all filipino nurses in the same situation and bad-mouthing us is just way too much for me to handle. I've been staying away from the forum too for quite awhile now with only occasional visits to one thread to help out just in case someone needs it and to check any updates. Thanks again.

Happy holidays Everyone. :)

Trauma Columnist · Dec 19, 2008

I think sometimes Americans' frustrations with our horrid economy flow into the forums. Everyone is proud of their country. As someone who has served in the military overseas in Spain, Korea and Japan, I have firsthand experienced being spit on simply because I was an Americanand my then-5 y/o son's school bus had smoke bombs thrown at it by university students who knew it contained American children. This is what I consider racist and prejudiced.

Saying that the economy is bad in the US and there is currently no need for foreign-trained nurses in the US, is NOT prejudicial.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2008

All I feel is the hatred and insults thrown at us simply because we are not Americans.

That's kind of an unfair exaggeration in my opinion.

But I do understand and see that things have turned a bit negative lately. I also understand that you need a place where you can feel comfortable and Allnurses is trying to provide that for you. We don't tolerate hatred and racism, so please use the report function.

I have to agree with traumaRUS that you're seeing some frustrations due to our economic situation. If you read other forums you will see many posts from American graduates who are in areas where they are having a tough time finding a job. Even parts of Florida, once a beacon for foreign-born nurses is experiencing hiring freezes and Americans are scrambling for jobs.

greenjungle · Dec 19, 2008

With times so tough in the USA, it's not surprising that this kind of sentiment against jobs going to foreign nurses comes to the surface. It's been there a long time, but the crisis makes it more apparent now.

That's why Philippine nurses should heed this sea change and refrain from applying to the USA - instead proceed to other countries. And parents must stop sending their children to nursing school in the Philippines since there is no place for them anymore in that country filled to overflowing with jobless nurses, or in the USA now due to the financial crisis and the 10 year retrogression (which is as good as forever). The message is clear - change your options about the USA.

yoginurse2b · Dec 19, 2008

No, this topic has nothing to do with the current economy (stick to the topic may I say?) It's about the frustration that I feel, and I am sure some of other foreign nurses as well, when I read some comments that generalizing and criticizing others without any real facts and concrete evidence to back them up. There is nothing in my post that mention anything about economy, neither has it got to do anything with war. I am talking about cultural insensitivity. Thank you.

Trauma Columnist · Dec 19, 2008

I am not trying to be obtuse here, but if you would please report these posts, we would address them. Thanks.

yoginurse2b · Dec 19, 2008

Of course, if I see one, I will do that. But I am trying to justify that some of the comments and criticisms made upon us were shallow and plain insensitive. Do not get me wrong. I am not just talking because many Filipino nurses were not able to come to the US. I am talking the way some posters made us feel "incompetent" and "unprofessional" by using generalizations and assuming that every foreign nurses are in the same category. Please it has nothing to do with the US economy. It is all about insensitivity and ethnocentrism.

allnurses Guide · Dec 19, 2008

as moderator and non US citizen (which makes me also a foreign nurse) I hope I am culturally sensitive, the international moderators try very hard to make sure that the posts that are in this section are not discriminatory, however there may be occasions that such posts are missed and we do rely on the members to report these so we can take appropriate action.

There is often information here that is not welcome, such as the difficulties with immigration, problems with nursing in different countries. There are many problems within the UK, my home country and in some of the current events forums UK nursing and healthcare gets heavily criticised, it is up to the UK nurses here to defend the areas that are unfair and acknowledge the areas that are problematic.

Maybe this is how as "foreign nurses" we should address the misconceptions about our healthcare systems. By highlighting the good, but acknowledging where we can improve as well. If we concentrate on the bad and the reasons we want to leave our own countries then the other nurses on the site will only the things we complain about rather then the great achievements that we make within our own countries.

Many of the questions that are asked in the international forums are about immigration, and because of the difficulties in countries that previously took "foreign nurses" there are less opportunities for those who want to work in a different country the answers that come out are not always good news.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2008

No, this topic has nothing to do with the current economy (stick to the topic may I say?) It's about the frustration that I feel, and I am sure some of other foreign nurses as well, when I read some comments that generalizing and criticizing others without any real facts and concrete evidence to back them up. There is nothing in my post that mention anything about economy, neither has it got to do anything with war. I am talking about cultural insensitivity. Thank you.

Understood. Cultural insensitivity can be frustrating. Not all the times is it a Terms of Service violtion. Most of the time the foreign nurses have done a good job in defending their culture and correcting misconceptions.

We also give it to each other. The "Do Nurses Eat Their Young" comes to mind for me, how Americans can be generalize each other in stating how we treat one another. But criticism isn't always a Terms of Service violation.

As the moderator above states, if you see hatred, racism and prejudice please report them. But remember every criticism isn't a Terms of Service violation.