Fewer Filipino Nurses Interested To Work In The US?

In a surprising news item from ABS-CBN, Filipino nurses who sought employment in the US were apparently 38% less versus the year before according to LPG Marketers' Association party-list Rep. Arnel Ty 

Citing data from the US National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Ty said only 4,354 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time during the first 9 months of the year while 84% of the 152,068 US-educated nurses who took the exam within the said period passed the NCLEX.

Is the US labor market for nurses really shrinking?

Data from the Professional Regulation Commission, Ty said 290,000 registered nurses were unemployed as of March 31. The figure, says Ty, does not include the more than 37,000 nursing graduates who passed the July licensure examination.

ABS-CBN article goes on to state that the government is planning to spend P1.686 billion next year to expand the Health Department's Doctors to the Barrio program, which will provide temporary jobs to nurses, Ty said. The expanded program is expected to cover the deployment of 12,000 nurses and 1,000 midwives to underserved communities.

Brain Drain In The Philippines

I read in a local newspaper article that many companies think the Philippines is going through some pretty major "brain drain."

And why not? Prices are high, salaries are the same. People can't be expected to stay for that. I should know I got an offer from Dubai that was pretty good. For a staff position, the salary I was offered almost matched the rate I'm getting now as management.

Now if a staff member there earns almost the same as a manager here, you'd probably notice what a big discrepancy that would be for the same position. Of course I'm not familiar with their cost of living there - it can't be much better than here I guess with the global economy acting up as it is.

There have been more than 50,000 healthcare workers (nurses, doctors and therapists) who have left the country and I don't disagree with them leaving but those of us left here are rather at a loss now aren't we?

Anyway that's not all, more and more workers are opting to take refuge abroad than be stuck here in the Philippines. I for one, would rather stay. I really like it here but sometimes it just can't be helped when you think about the opportunities out there...

We need better paying jobs. Salaries that can actually pay for rising expenses. Allowances that are non-taxable. For Filipino workers to actually stay in the Philippines, there has to be the same opportunity here than there is abroad. That is how to stop the brain drain

How Much To Become A Nurse? What Will I Make As An Overseas Nurse?

There are a lot of questions about becoming a nurse abroad. First of all though, we'll have to start with asking the preliminary ones about becoming a nurse first. Here in Cebu, there are now so many nursing schools. Everybody thinks it's the next "get-rich, go-abroad" opportunity.

So here's the breakdown of how much it will cost you to 'become' a nurse first (from ABS-CBN News)

A nursing college education costs at least P300,000. But that’s not all. After finishing the four-year course, there are fees and other expenses for a series of qualifying exams.

Take the board exams today. Prior to taking these tests, nursing students spent around P10,000-P15,000 for review centers. Hundreds of pesos were shelled out for reviewer materials. They also paid a P900 exam fee.

Those who want to work in the United States, which is the dream destination for many nursing students, have to spend around P19,000-P25,000 to review for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), a standardized qualifying test.

But before they can take the NCLEX, they need to pass the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and English proficiency tests, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), to secure a CGFNS Certification Program Certificate.

Passing the CGFNS test is one of the requirements for an occupational visa in the US. Taking it means shelling out around $450 or around P19,000. In addition, the IELTS costs around P8,000.

Of course, there’s tuition to begin with, which ranges from P50,000 to P80,000 per semester.

That's a total of half a million pesos just to become a registered nurse eligible to work abroad.

But this is pretty good if you can get the job you want abroad. Nurses in the US with a one-year experience have a median salary of $50,000, or around P2 million. In Saudi Arabia, compensation for staff nurses ranges from $23,000 - $33,000, or around P1 million a year.

So after a year of working, you'll more or less make up for the cost of the entire nursing course. That is of course if you're prudent with the money you've earned. Because it also means foreign rate expenses when you work abroad.

Labor Agreement With Finland In The Works - To Open Job For More Filipino Nurses

We're about to lose more Filipino nurses in the Philippines because Finland is about to open its doors to Filipino nurses. Not that we have any left... Apparently there is a shortage of nurses in Finland as well.

Philippine Ambassador to Sweden Maria Zeneida Collinson said Finnish officials accepted her proposal to send a Philippine labor mission to Finland before the yearend to discuss the possible need for a bilateral labor agreement according to Inquirer

According to the DFA, Finland is widely expected to be one of the first European countries to experience a demographic shock as an estimated 900,000 of its "baby boom" generation reach retirement age within the next 12 years.

"With insufficient birth rates to offset the country's rapidly aging population, the ensuing decline in the working-age population is predicted to lead to rising pensions and deteriorating healthcare services," it said.

Tips And Advice For US-bound Nurses. Essentials For Filipino Nurses Who Want To Work Abroad

Here are tips for US bound nurses by Danny Fernandez of OFWGuide Forum

Get Your Social Security Number (SSN): It is important to apply for SSN upon arriving in the US at the Social Security Office near your place of deployment. You may seek the help of the Human Resource Department of the hospital where you will work. Most State Boards requires the SSN to get your permanent nurse license, be a registered rurse and practice your profession. Without the SSN, you may not be able to secure your license and will not be allowed to work. Securing SSN takes between 10 to 30 working days while the processing for the RN License takes 30 to 90 days.

Don’t Overspend: The contract you signed in the Philippines may include a clause stating that for the first 90 days of your stay in US, the hiring hospital will provide for your needs and you will receive an allowance or stipend. The usual stipend is USD 1500 to USD 2000.

The stipend may seem like a large amount but the truth is, it will barely cover your expenses. Normally, the accommodation they provide is a one-room apartment with free water and electricity. It has a stove, ref, sofa, TV, and a bed. You need to buy your utensils, plates, spoon, fork, bed sheets, food, and other personal items. Some hospitals have these things included in the package but some do not. It is a must to inquire about these matter to your agency. You need to spend frugally until you earn your first paycheck. Until then, you have to live with the stipend unless you brought some pocket money before leaving the Philippines.

Learn to Drive in the Philippines: If you can, you need to learn to drive and secure a driving license in the Philippines. Knowing how to drive in the US is not a luxury but a necessity. There are public transport facilities available but it is very time consuming and inconvenient to wait for buses, and taxis at times. When you have a Philippine driver’s license, some State allows you to drive for one year as long as your license is valid. Another thing is, if you provide a Philippine driver’s license when you apply for a driver’s License in the US, you are exempted to take the drug test. On top of these, you will also have a big edge in passing the driving test. It is also lot easier and less expensive to learn to drive in the Philippines than learning it in the US.

Learn about the US Hospital Environment: The Philippine Hospital environment is totally different from those in the US, from the way they treat their patients, the patients themselves, the equipment used, and the procedures. Don't be fooled of the patient-nurse ratio of five patients to one nurse in the US against forty patients to one nurse in the Philippines. The procedure necessary for you to handle five patients in the US exceeds the procedure in handling forty patients in the Philippines. The documentations alone consumes so much time. You need to be ready for this. Orientation period is usually six weeks (on the floor) after the classroom orientation. You need focus and alertness on the work floor. It appears that it is during the orientation that you will experience difficulty but will soon get use to it in no time.

Practice Talking and Listening in English: You need to be adept in English comprehension. This should be easy because Filipinos are very good in English. However, the way Americans speak English is different from the way we do in terms of pronunciation and accent. Many foreign nurses find it difficult to understand doctor’s orders. The key solution is practice. The more you practice, the easier it would be for you.

Image from Philamllc.com