Thursday 19 January 2012

Nurses in the Philippines


It was on the year 2003 when nurses in USA are very in demand; many Filipinos were very much excited on this news. USA was hiring a lot of nurses that time and they were importing those professionals from different Asian countries like china, Malaysia and of course Philippines.

Many took this an opportunity of working abroad specifically to Uncle Sam’s territory. Incoming college students of middle and even upper class people were being encouraged to take the course that time, even doctors and other professionals that are not related to health/medical field enrolled their selves on this profession because for them, huge salary awaits in US. Indeed, nursing would be a stepping stone of working in US.

There was a pooling of nursing students in a lot of schools in Philippines, even non universities who do not offer BS Nursing opened the course; this will be an opportunity to them to earn from these interested people to take Nursing.


Year 2005 when USA was experiencing recession; they have to cut down their expenses; retrogression takes place. Retrogression means, only limited visas were given in a year to a certain country. Nurses were really affected that time; many Registered Nurses took and passed the NCLEX but cannot get the working visa that they want. With this incidence, they should not rely their selves on their dreams of working to Uncle Sam, they have to work in order for them to grow on their profession and earn on their own; there’s no choice but to work on either other countries or on their own country. Sad to say only few were hiring nurses, and the hurtful part there is, what they want is an employee that has hospital experience as a staff nurse.


What happened to those thousands of nursing students enrolled on the course? Most of them graduated and got their licenses. Those RN’s encountered another challenge on their lives; to look for a job. Some are lucky enough to find a job as a nurse; some were unlucky and try their luck in the other field.


Since an experience is required or a great advantage to other applicants when applying a job as a nurse, many or almost all hospitals opened their institution for volunteer nurse. What’s the purpose of this volunteering? I’ll explain you with this example; when a hospital hires a nurse, what they are looking are the ones who has already have an experience, the one who became a paid nurse to other hospitals. There are a lot of RNSs here in the Philippines, but very few have a hospital experience. To give them an experience, most of the hospitals offered volunteering wherein an RN will pay the volunteer fee. You work to them like a full time staff nurse but there’s no salary here, no allowance, no free meals, all are at your own expense. Sounds unfair right? But do those RN’s accept such agreement?! Of course yes! It’s because of the experience, the experience that was looking by those hospitals to qualify as a member of their health care team.


Almost all of them agreed on this and yes, they got hired and some are now working abroad while others are still on the look. Most of them became sick and tired with this, and just jump to other career. Mostly are in the call center agencies (well compensated salary) while others are in different fields.

As of the moment, the government is making a move to stop this unequal treatment. One of their action is the House bill 5641, here is the content of the Bill:


House Bill 5641: “An Act Prohibiting the Exploitative ‘Volunteerism’ of Nurses” has been filed at the House of 


Representatives this December 2011.

Instead of just removing the fees, there is finally a bill to stop the EXPLOITATIVE practices of “FALSE 


Volunteerism”: having nurses do STAFF Nurse responsibilities, but without salaries.

Violators can be penalized a fine of P100,000 to P500,000 and face imprisonment of 6 Months to 1 Year; while 

hospitals themselves face suspension or cancellation of their licenses.




Another offer of the government is the DOH in partnership to DOLE program NARS adn RNheals wherein

 they employ inexperienced nurses and being deployed to remote areas or to RN's provinces as well as to 

some government hospitals. They will receive an PHP 8,000 fixed salary and PHP 2,000 meal allowance. 

This is a very good step and should be widen by the government so many would benefit from this program. 

By this way, they somehow let those people feel that the government i not deaf to nurse's grievance.

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