Volunteer Nurses: Counted as a Work Experience?

[rlssem]

I know a lot of Nurses in the Philippines are doing volunteer works just to satisfy the Nursing Board's requirements in their country of destination.

In relation to this, i've known a friend who is a nurse in the philippines who told me that the PNA will Ban volunteer nurses from the hospital or any facilities...

In the State of Victoria, Australia, volunteer work experience is not accepted as a work experience, unless you are in a registered capacity while doing it.

How about in other countries are they going to count it? and the Banning of volunteer nurses by the PNA, do you think this could help? what would be the solution for this?

say your thoughts...thanks.

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

I absolutely agree. Pinoy nurses should boycott this kind of abuse and not participate in the "pay for traning" scams that hospitals are running. Volunteering is one thing, paying to volunteer is another entirely.

I wish that were true for Pinoy nurses, but unfortunately when they work to achieve career goals they are hit with the "stay in your own damn country" attitude that you can see elsewhere on the boards here.

The Philippines has a surplus of nurses because of the nursing culture that has developed over the bulk of the 20th century. USA and European nations as well as the Middle East have demanded nurses from the Philippines for generations, then all of the sudden that demand was shut off from many sources leaving tens of thousands of nurses unemployed that would normally have gotten jobs without a problem.

I can't speak for other countries, but there was never unlimited immigration to the USA. The was always a limit to how many nurses could come to the USA. My understanding is there has been a growth of nursing grad 10X in the past decade, there would never been enough jobs for these nurses in the USA in the best of times.

Nurses who are educated in the USA are having issues finding jobs also. So I would encourage all Pinoy and US students to rethink nursing and only continue if you want to really be a nurse.

[glioblastoma]

hi! i've read the "recency of practice" of the AHPRA-NMB and after reading, i can say there's nothing black and white or 100% saying that volunteer exp won't be counted in Australia (except Western Australia). if ever AHPRA-NMB will recognize volunteer work, they will only do so provided that the volunteer work was done after being registered in PRC and the job description is really what staff nurses do.

i would appreciate feedbacks...:):idea::redpinkhe:yeah::redbeathe;) i love smileys!

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

In the US volunteer experience is just that "volunteer". In order for it to be counted as experience you must have "paid experience". In the hospitals they're looking for RN's with experience and some of them will state "RN II" status as "RN I" is a new grad.

[Jamby]

hi! i've read the "recency of practice" of the AHPRA-NMB and after reading, i can say there's nothing black and white or 100% saying that volunteer exp won't be counted in Australia (except Western Australia). if ever AHPRA-NMB will recognize volunteer work, they will only do so provided that the volunteer work was done after being registered in PRC and the job description is really what staff nurses do.

i would appreciate feedbacks...:):idea::redpinkhe:yeah::redbeathe;) i love smileys!

Hi, you're correct, AHPRA even discussed thoroughly what it means by "practice" (e.g. Practice means any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a nurse...). It's quite clear that volunteer works for nurses in a medical facility are taken into consideration by AHPRA.

[medic8]

"practice" (e.g. Practice means any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a nurse...)

If I worked as a paramedic, would that be included?

[Jamby]

If I worked as a paramedic, would that be included?

Hi, below are excerpts from AHPRA: (take extra attention on Q2)

4 May, 2010

Recency of Practice

FAQs

Q1. What is 'Recency of Practice'?

A. This means that a practitioner has maintained an adequate connection with,

and recent practice in, the profession since qualifying or obtaining registration.

Q2. What is meant by 'Practice'?

A. Practice means any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual

uses their skills and knowledge as a nurse or midwife. For the purposes of

this registration standard, practice is not restricted to the provision of direct

clinical care. It also includes working in a direct non-clinical relationship with

clients, working in management, administration, education, research,

advisory, regulatory or policy development roles, and any other roles that

impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the profession and/or use of

their professional skills.

Q3. What sort of practice hours are acceptable over and above those defined in

'practice' above?

A. Practice hours are recognised if evidence is provided to demonstrate:

a. the nurse or midwife held a valid registration with a nursing or midwifery

regulatory authority in the jurisdiction (either Australian or overseas) when

the hours were worked; or

b. the role involved the application of nursing and/or midwifery knowledge

and skills, or

c. the time was spent undertaking postgraduate education leading to an

award or qualification that is relevant to the practice of nursing and/or

midwifery.

Q4. What evidence do I need to provide?

A. You need to provide evidence that you have undertaken sufficient practice

within the past 5 years for a period equivalent to a minimum of 3 months full

time.

Q5. How do I show that I have undertaken the equivalent of a minimum of 3

months fulltime within the past 5 years?

A. You may provide any of the following: a service statement from your

employer(s); pay slip(s); income statement for the year; and other methods at

the discretion of NMBA.

Q6. Do the hours have to be continuous?

A. No, they may be accumulated over the 5 year period.

Q7. If I am a registered nurse and a registered midwife do I need to meet recency

requirements for both professions?

A. Yes, you need to provide evidence showing you have undertaken the required

equivalent hours in both nursing and midwifery practice within the past 5

years. However, if you consider an aspect of your work could provide

evidence for both nursing and midwifery practice, you may make a case for

that. An example of this could be caring for women and their babies post

caesarean section.

Q8. If I am working overseas as a registered nurse or midwife are these hours

acceptable evidence of Recency of Practice?

A. Yes, however, you would need to provide the same level of evidence as

required for practice undertaken in Australia.

Q9. What happens if I am unable to meet the ROP requirements?

A. You will need to provide evidence of:

a. Successful completion of a program or assessment approved by the

Board, or

b. Successful completion of a supervised practice experience approved by

the Board.

Q10. Do I need to keep evidence of my Recency of Practice?

A. Yes, you should hold your evidence for three years in case you are selected

for audit.

Q11. Do I need to submit evidence of my Recency of Practice to NMBA each year?

A. No, you only need to sign a declaration to say that you have met the Recency

of Practice requirements. Evidence will only be requested if you are selected

for audit.

Q12. Will everybody be audited annually?

A. No, the Board will have discretion to select a random number of nurses and

midwives for auditing.

Q13. What happens if my evidence for audit is not sufficient?

A. Refer to the NMBA Policy on Audit which will be developed and available on

the Board's website by the end of May.

Best regards.:)

[ginrn2010]

When I'm still a student I don't have any idea why a RN do volunteer in a hospital. I feel so terrible now!

[joanaRN]

When i was on my senior year in college, i overheard 2 nurses in a local hospital's nurses' station chatting. One of them said that she's been a volunteer in that hospital for more than 6 mos. no salaries, no allowance, no nothing. I thought how will my life be after i pass the nurses' licensure exam. I promised myself that i won't be like those who after much 'nursing business' took from our pocket, just be okay for working without pay. Of course nursing is a vocation. It's caring for others, right? But how will you care for others if on the first place you don't have something for your own living too? Now, the only hope of many fresh nurses like me is to have a qualifying experience to be able to work abroad. So they end up being exploited against their will just to satisfy the requirements for their chosen country of destination. I'm a victim too. More supply, less demand. Poor Filipino nurses. Very sad.

[Jamby]

When i was on my senior year in college, i overheard 2 nurses in a local hospital's nurses' station chatting. One of them said that she's been a volunteer in that hospital for more than 6 mos. no salaries, no allowance, no nothing. I thought how will my life be after i pass the nurses' licensure exam. I promised myself that i won't be like those who after much 'nursing business' took from our pocket, just be okay for working without pay. Of course nursing is a vocation. It's caring for others, right? But how will you care for others if on the first place you don't have something for your own living too? Now, the only hope of many fresh nurses like me is to have a qualifying experience to be able to work abroad. So they end up being exploited against their will just to satisfy the requirements for their chosen country of destination. I'm a victim too. More supply, less demand. Poor Filipino nurses. Very sad.

Hi, no nurses in their right mind will just be "satisfied" in volunteering. You have to understand that thats their only way of advancing their career as of this time, since finding employment here is practically nil specially for newly grads and government can't do anything about it, not now or in the near future. As long as you can use your volunteered experience in the pursuit of your dream of working else where, then you have to bite the bullet and do what is deemed necessary. Just take into consideration that having a very rewarding and fulfilling career is not an easy path and consider volunteering is just one of its obstacles. Best of luck.

[medic8]

It is terrible and nobody is doing anything to stop it.

Yes, even the nurses themselves. They keep on getting themselves get involved in these kind of system.

[cascades09]

My Pinay wife graduated in the batch of 2007 in the Philippines with a BS in Nursing. After she passed her NLE, she volunteered for six months at a large government tertiary hospital in Pinas. Fortunately, she did not have to pay to be a volunteer. Her duties as a volunteer nurse were virtually the same duties performed by a regular staff nurse.

After she passed her NCLEX-RN here in the States and became a licensed RN in our State, she got a job as an RN within four months. One of the main reasons she landed a job here, despite the economic recession we are experiencing, is because her employer took into account her volunteer experience in the Philippines. Another reason is that she has excellent reading, writing, and speaking skills in English. We also believe it helped that her first course is in computer science.

Also, my wife's employer has had good luck with hiring Pinoys because they are hard-working, dedicated, and consistent employees. Two more Pinoy RNs have been hired since my wife started working there.

Even though I don't agree with the volunteer system in Pinas, especially if an RN must pay to play, I simply wanted to make the point that volunteering in Pinas can perhaps someday benefit an RN who finds themselves job-hunting here in the States.

I hope the retrogression ends malapit na. Best wishes to all Pinoy RNs! :hgu:

[cherily]

It is very unfortunate how nurses are being manipulated into slavery! I have worked as a volunteer nurse for 6 mos, fortunately I didn't pay for anything to work, but I also did not get paid, not even a mere allowance. I did almost everything staff nurses do, I was assigned a ward & I was responsible for everything in that ward including giving meds (oral, IV, etc.), charting, assessment, referrals to Dr's, IV insertions, etc. The only difference, I think, is that we didn't get paid & staff nurses did. There are even times that volunteer nurses have more responsibilities than paid workers do. We, volunteer nurses, did all the job, the Hospital reaped all the benefits, & still we could not use the experience as reference to apply for work abroad. pity.pity.pity.