During the last NLE (the board exam for nurses in the Philippines), about 90,000 (yes, 90K) BSN graduates braved the local boards hoping to get a foot forward in their plans to work abroad.
In the not-so-distant past, there were less than ten thousand examinees taking the qualifying exam; but for some reason, this BOOM in nursing is attributed to it's considerable demand abroad. All over the Philippines, there had been a significant decrease in the number of enrollees in every nursing school, and there should be for a very good reason.
I entered nursing school in 2004, I was under the impression that if I passed the NLE, I'd take the NCLEX and fly away as soon as its over. Those were the days when we had about 10 sections comprising of no less than 35 students each. GREAT! But hey, before any of you readers out there think of saying to your newly out of high school friends "mag nursing ka nalang", better stay a while and read through what nursing is really all about and let me give you a quick list.
1. Nursing is not for the poverty-stricken public.
I know, you've seen the dramatic tele-novelas of a pretty young girl abused and she took up nursing, graduated, became a nurse, met the love of her life, went abroad and became thick rich! Well, thats not the case, in nursing, you will be spending a great deal of money just to make it to graduation and unless you come from a family that could help you with that, might as well look for another field.
2. Nursing is not a pass-port out of the country.
Again my friends, do not be fooled! In the not so once-upon-a-time years, nursing was a sure hit to get employers on your heels and to get a passport to other countries offering more opportunities for nurses but hey, it's 2010, the world is in crisis and good luck to you in finding an employer who's willing to pay for your ticket. EVEN if you do possess a visa to the US, it's not a working visa, so think again.
3. Nurses are trained to save lives and kiss asses.
Yes my dear friends, kiss asses, your eyes aren't fooling you and between the two, saving lives and kissing arse, you're more likely to end up with the latter. Although I must admit, there is a priceless reward when you contribute to saving someone's life.
4. Nurses undergo a lot of training.
Most hospitals have a list of requirements for nurses before being accepted into TRAINING. Basic Life Support, and Intravenous Therapy is just for starters and I would recommend just getting the two of these. There will be a lot of other courses out there but they will just be a decoration for your portfolio. BLS + IVT, thats about 3,000 pesos off your pockets and if you're a fresh nurse from the local boards, thats a lot of money. Oh and the PNA membership, another 500 pesos.
5. It's not a lucrative job.
Whoops! Are you a bread-winner hoping for a better life as a nurse? Well, you won't be getting it any time soon. Unless you have someone to back you up in a hospital, you'll be climbing up the ladder slowly. Training, Volunteering, N1 or floaterhood, probationary, and finally! To be a staff! Training costs a lot of money, in my case about 5,000 pesos (100+ USD), for a chance to experience being exposed to different areas in the hospital. 5,000 pesos and you get to go to the hospital without pay; it's like attending school again. Hmmm what else? Oh, thats about 8K now plus IVT and BLS. What about the period of volunteering? Well, you get to work for free. And floaterhood? You get to work 5 days per cut-off with the minimum wage. Probationary? You get full schedule minus the benefits. And staff? Well, you get less than 15K per salary. YES! All that trouble for LESS than 15K! And agencies will ask for no less than 150K during your applications.
6. It's a time killer.
Wanna grow old? This is the job for you. Well, in my case, I spend no less than 10 hours every day in the hospital stressing myself out. I learn yes, but when I think about it, why did I do this again?
7. It's an expensive choice for a chance to go aborad.
Other than the afore-mentioned expenses, you of course, want to work abroad and the land of opportunity, the United States is a very tempting option but before you say yes to the enduring profession in which I hope to have opened your eyes to by now, I would do you a favor of telling you about the expenses you will be having when you decide to go for the US.
1. The NCLEX, application, exam proper, etc. It's a very expensive examination for a Juan dela Cruz nurse who will be taking it. It cost me about 600USD in total, apart from the review.
2. IELTS/TOEFL IBT. This costs about 150 to 200 USD.
3. VISA SCREENING. About 500USD.
Hey! What about other countries? well, get experience first. About 2 years is the minimum, IF, you can endure the schedule and salary that is.
So, whats it like to be a nurse here? I'd say I sacrificed about a year of my life now, and I still will be doing so for more years to come.
Listen buddy, if the list I mentioned above earlier wouldn't cut for you, don't go into it. If you're a highschool kid looking for a career in the future, I'd advise you to look elsewhere. Nursing requires a heart for service, something I had to look for during the 1 year period I have been working as one and I still haven't convinced myself that this is my life, the life that I chose, the life that I will be living. So, if your parents are telling you to go into nursing and you don't have a clue, now you do. You might want to discuss this with them
God bless,
- Josh
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