Who's to blame for having oversupply of nurses here???...

World Philippines

Published

1. Ourselves

2. Relatives

3. Government

4. Schools

5. Media (T.V., Advertisements on Broadsheets)

I choose myself, why??? for believing on news on T.V.that there is a huge shortage of nurses and easily get carried by the vast amount of advertisements saying I'll have a great opportunity coming to U.S.. Assuming that graduating only as a BSN and passing the NLE and NCLEX is enough. I am also blaming myself for listening to C.I.s and lecturers and those in review centers with their sweet words which just gives us false hope. You... what is your story... do you blame yourself?

This is the reality i am facing now... If only... lot's of it...:banghead:

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I wonder why others would think that a national entrance exam for nursing programs will be biased against applicants from outside Manila. If you actually look at the list of nursing schools with high passing rates in the NLE, you will find that the schools are quite geographically diverse with some located as far north as well as ones that are located in the south. There are many more schools based in Manila with enough name recognition yet do not consistently produce a high passing rate in the NLE.

Specializes in Med/Surg/Med-Tele/SDU/ED.
if you actually look at the list of nursing schools with high passing rates in the nle, you will find that the schools are quite geographically diverse with some located as far north as well as ones that are located in the south. there are many more schools based in manila with enough name recognition yet do not consistently produce a high passing rate in the nle.

curious eh?

there were statistics (i think they stopped publishing this a few years ago) that entrance exam scores of most provincial school graduates do not even come close to the national passing rate. how can they, when they are crammed 200 students to a room...or 200 students under a tree? and the school books are kept under lock and key, because if a book is lost, the teacher gets charged for it. and the teachers who can not even speak straight english? how will these students learn?

then the "top-notchers" of board exams come from far-flung provinces (the so-called "dark horses").

one theory is that these graduates went to manila for their board exam review.

I am just worried that because of these many negative, destructive posts of my fellow new Filipino nurses who are as anxious as I am right now, the once positive, hardworking and the best-in-the-world image of the Filipino nurse will be jeopardized. I realise that this is a website, everybody from all over the world can read it... then I'm afraid that we Filipino nurses will be stereotyped. Please don't. There are a lot of Filipino nursing students like me who are doing their best in their studies... please dont forget that we are not only concerned about the 'high salary' that awaits us there in the US, but, as we continue to study nursing, we realize how much we value our role in the society and how much passion we have for this profession.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

there were statistics (i think they stopped publishing this a few years ago) that entrance exam scores of most provincial school graduates do not even come close to the national passing rate. how can they, when they are crammed 200 students to a room...or 200 students under a tree? and the school books are kept under lock and key, because if a book is lost, the teacher gets charged for it. and the teachers who can not even speak straight english? how will these students learn?

i think this kind of scenario can happen in metro manila as well. we do not exactly have classrooms under a tree in manila but some of the public elementary and high schools there are just as crowded and are just as limited as far as resources, facilities, and teaching support. i think it all boils down to disparities between how education is delivered to filipinos. we have some of the worst-performing public schools on one end of the spectrum and then the best private and exclusive schools on the other end. you also have to remember that this is not only seen in the philippines. certain areas in the us have the same disparity in quality of education. take for instance the difference bewteen how inner city high school students are poorly taught in comparison to students who perform well in high schools located in affluent suburbs.

then the "top-notchers" of board exams come from far-flung provinces (the so-called "dark horses").

i too wonder about this phenomenon. my theory is that there is room for just a few good schools in one locality as there is a finite number of good teachers in any given area. unfortunately, only the good schools are able to attract the good teachers.

one theory is that these graduates went to manila for their board exam review.

don't most everyone else review in manila anyway including those who graduate from schools in metro manila?

Specializes in Med/Surg/Med-Tele/SDU/ED.
i think this kind of scenario can happen in metro manila as well. we do not exactly have classrooms under a tree in manila but some of the public elementary and high schools there are just as crowded and are just as limited as far as resources, facilities, and teaching support. i think it all boils down to disparities between how education is delivered to filipinos. we have some of the worst-performing public schools on one end of the spectrum and then the best private and exclusive schools on the other end. you also have to remember that this is not only seen in the philippines. certain areas in the us have the same disparity in quality of education. take for instance the difference bewteen how inner city high school students are poorly taught in comparison to students who perform well in high schools located in affluent suburbs.

good point.

i was surprised when i meet american patient's kids--high school graduates--who don't have an inkling of iraq or recession; they are, however, highly opinionated about everything, and very passionate about what car or hdtv they're gonna ask their parents to buy for them.

however, i have met a few american students who are driven and very intelligent.

you're right--there's a huge gap even in american schools.

i too wonder about this phenomenon. my theory is that there is room for just a few good schools in one locality as there is a finite number of good teachers in any given area. unfortunately, only the good schools are able to attract the good teachers.

the "dark horses phenomena" leaves these top-notch schools scratching their collective heads. they supposedly have the best teachers because they pay good salaries...yet their graduates are trumped by some graduate from some province.

don't most everyone else review in manila anyway including those who graduate from schools in metro manila

before i left, the fad was for these reviewers to go to the provinces to hold their reviews.

kinda like importing lecturers from abroad.

I am just worried that because of these many negative, destructive posts of my fellow new Filipino nurses who are as anxious as I am right now, the once positive, hardworking and the best-in-the-world image of the Filipino nurse will be jeopardized. I realise that this is a website, everybody from all over the world can read it... then I'm afraid that we Filipino nurses will be stereotyped. Please don't. There are a lot of Filipino nursing students like me who are doing their best in their studies... please dont forget that we are not only concerned about the 'high salary' that awaits us there in the US, but, as we continue to study nursing, we realize how much we value our role in the society and how much passion we have for this profession.

I hate to disillusion you but the "hardworking and the best-in-the-world image" is held only your countrymen.

I've worked a lot of years and can only say we judge individual nurses on their performances not their country of origin.

If anything this area of the forum has made nurses in North American aware of a certain arrogance coming from nurses trained in your country. That and the fact that many appear more interested in getting to the US via any method possible and then moaning about the routes they have chosen to take.

I am just worried that because of these many negative, destructive posts of my fellow new Filipino nurses who are as anxious as I am right now, the once positive, hardworking and the best-in-the-world image of the Filipino nurse will be jeopardized. I realise that this is a website, everybody from all over the world can read it... then I'm afraid that we Filipino nurses will be stereotyped. Please don't. There are a lot of Filipino nursing students like me who are doing their best in their studies... please dont forget that we are not only concerned about the 'high salary' that awaits us there in the US, but, as we continue to study nursing, we realize how much we value our role in the society and how much passion we have for this profession.

Not to down play this but the reputation of the excellent nurses from your country was from before you were born. That best-in-the-world image has not existed for sometime. The training in your country is no longer the same as it once was when the BSN was actually a five year program as well.

I commend you for being hard-working but do not rely on the stereotypes of what you are expecting, they do not exist any longer. Nurses are judged on how well that they perform and the fact that the practice of nursing is different in your country from many others now, so it is hard to even judge a nurse until they are actually working in that role. Not all are going to meet standards anywhere, and that is a well known fact.

And the hard-working is not necessarily the case either. Things have changed considerably from that time, and I have worked with nurses from that time and there is a considerable change in the type of training.

Many of your hard-working nurses do not wish to work in your country, nor get experience there even when there is a five year wait for a chance at a visa. Passing the NCLEX exam no longer guarantees that one will ever get the coveted green card. And do not wish to even get a local license so that they can truly practice what they wanted to become and not use it just to go to the US. Nursing is nursing.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I am just worried that because of these many negative, destructive posts of my fellow new Filipino nurses who are as anxious as I am right now, the once positive, hardworking and the best-in-the-world image of the Filipino nurse will be jeopardized. I realise that this is a website, everybody from all over the world can read it... then I'm afraid that we Filipino nurses will be stereotyped. Please don't. There are a lot of Filipino nursing students like me who are doing their best in their studies... please dont forget that we are not only concerned about the 'high salary' that awaits us there in the US, but, as we continue to study nursing, we realize how much we value our role in the society and how much passion we have for this profession.

Personally, I think that the "best-in-the-world" image was conjured up by the Philippine government as a scapegoat for the many unemployed Filipino nurses who can't find jobs in the Philippines and must look overseas for employment. Unfortunately, this failed legacy continued on against a backdrop of substandard schools that crept up on us without any government oversight.

Being Filipino myself, I know how hard-working we are especially our overseas workers and this is largely motivated by our desire to escape poverty and misery. But let's get real. People are people no matter where they're from. Individuals should be judged on their own merit. Nursing is universal and the color or race of the person practicing the profession does not determine how good of a nurse that person will be.

Perhaps it will be better for Filipino nurses over there to quit posting messages containing schemes on the fastest way to get a nursing degree in the Philippines and how to beat the system by getting to the US even though there is retrogression currently in place. I think that will prevent non-Filipinos from forming unpleasant stereoptypes of us.

And then the most important question that truly needs to be asked of your government: If they think that they are producing the best nurses in the world, why in the world are they signing agreements with other countries to send the four year BSN trained RN to work as a care-giver or essentially a maid for someone in their home?

Sorry, but two and two do not make four here.

The primary issue here is that why is there an oversupply of nurses in the Philippines. It's not about being the best nurse in the world or being a maid in another country. There is an oversupply of nurses because most Filipinos would want to escape poverty. And the only ticket that we know is taking up nursing to emigrate and leave Philippines. Before landing a job in the US or any other country, we have to pass several screening examinations (NCLEX, CGFNS, VISASCREEN, IELTS, TOEFL, TSE) not to mention series of interviews from prospective employers. We don't go on to your country by chance. It is because of our qualifications that we get hired. We get to have the job offer because we've passed the minimum requirement to get the job. We cannot force anyone to hire us. It is your government and your people who has the "say" on our immigration papers. It is "YOU" who will have to decide in the end. Our government would sign inter-governmental pacts to assist us in securing a stable and high earning job abroad. If we just have the means, we would not want to leave but we just have to because much would be relying on our remittances. The Filipino nurse, versatile and resilient would never enjoy being a second class citizen. Because for all we know there and there are still PEOPLE who will discriminate you in a foreign land. There will still be people who will QUESTION your integrity and qualification as a nurse. I think our government imbibe in us that belief that we are the ONE of the best nurses in the world because of our LONG TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AND CARE not only to our patients but to the people we leave behind. Filipino nurses are everywhere. Adjusting to a different culture is already a big factor.We endure living away from our country, from the people we love, from our relatives because we had a choice. And we don't blame others for making that choice.

The primary issue here is that why is there an oversupply of nurses in the Philippines. It's not about being the best nurse in the world or being a maid in another country. There is an oversupply of nurses because most Filipinos would want to escape poverty. And the only ticket that we know is taking up nursing to emigrate and leave Philippines. Before landing a job in the US or any other country, we have to pass several screening examinations (NCLEX, CGFNS, VISASCREEN, IELTS, TOEFL, TSE) not to mention series of interviews from prospective employers. We don't go on to your country by chance. It is because of our qualifications that we get hired. We get to have the job offer because we've passed the minimum requirement to get the job. We cannot force anyone to hire us. It is your government and your people who has the "say" on our immigration papers. It is "YOU" who will have to decide in the end. Our government would sign inter-governmental pacts to assist us in securing a stable and high earning job abroad. If we just have the means, we would not want to leave but we just have to because much would be relying on our remittances. The Filipino nurse, versatile and resilient would never enjoy being a second class citizen. Because for all we know there and there are still PEOPLE who will discriminate you in a foreign land. There will still be people who will QUESTION your integrity and qualification as a nurse. I think our government imbibe in us that belief that we are the ONE of the best nurses in the world because of our LONG TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AND CARE not only to our patients but to the people we leave behind. Filipino nurses are everywhere. Adjusting to a different culture is already a big factor.We endure living away from our country, from the people we love, from our relatives because we had a choice. And we don't blame others for making that choice.

I partly agree with you but we should also take into consideration about what the others said. Our government is part of the blame. why? because they failed to regulate the nursing schools in our country. They failed to close down poorly performing schools and prevented small new schools from opening a nursing program. True, Others discriminate us. why?because of the things we do. It's true that SOME filipino nurses are good. They provide excellent care to patients but we can't ignore the fact that there are also SOME who are only there for money and don't even have enough TLC to care for the patient. As the saying goes: One bad apple spoils the whole bunch and that's what's happening right now. The fault/defect of one will jeopardized the whole even if you're good, you will be labeled with the bad. Do you get what I mean? and That's the sad part.:cry:

I partly agree with you but we should also take into consideration about what the others said. Our government is part of the blame. why? because they failed to regulate the nursing schools in our country. They failed to close down poorly performing schools and prevented small new schools from opening a nursing program. True, Others discriminate us. why?because of the things we do. It's true that SOME filipino nurses are good. They provide excellent care to patients but we can't ignore the fact that there are also SOME who are only there for money and don't even have enough TLC to care for the patient. As the saying goes: One bad apple spoils the whole bunch and that's what's happening right now. The fault/defect of one will jeopardized the whole even if you're good, you will be labeled with the bad. Do you get what I mean? and That's the sad part.:cry:

The government is really to be blamed about school regulation. But you a nurse is responsible with you own action. If you really studied well and did your part during your education then you will reap you success. You will have no difficulty getting jobs or even passing required examinations. Those who did not take nursing seriously will suffer the consequences and be left rotten and jobless.

Thinking only for the money in nursing will never succeed. Even if you did well in your education. You will have problems with your patient, your co-workers, your employers and eventually will commit an error and loose your license. So who is to be blame? Blame yourself the most. IF you want to become a nurse so be it but it's up to you to take the risk.

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