Aspiring nurses urged to explore other fields

A former official of the University of the Philippines-Manila yesterday advised those eyeing nursing courses next school year to earn dollars have to step back and explore other possible careers.

“If they want to take up nursing because they think they have the aptitude and inclination to become a nurse, irrespective of going abroad, irrespective of earning dollars, then go. We need nurses like that. In other words – take nursing for the right reason,” Dr. Josefina Tuazon, former dean of UP-Manila College of Nursing, said during an interview.

Tuazon, now a member of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Technical Committee on Nursing Education, noted that one should go to nursing school not because he wants to work in other countries.

According to Tuazon, there are still limited employment opportunities in many healthcare facilities abroad primarily due to the financial crunch. 

The United States, she cited for instance, had slowed down in the processing of nurses’ visas due to retrogression.

“If you are using nursing as a stepping stone to go abroad, then don’t take up nursing because this is not the right time. Employments are not going to be readily available and more importantly, in this profession, we don’t need people doing that,” she explained.

The past decade had witnessed the mushrooming of nursing schools – mostly substandard – in the Philippines, thus, saturating the industry. It is estimated that there are now close to 300,000 registered nurses who are either unemployed or underemployed.

Tuazon pointed out that this development had “compromised the quality of nursing care” in the country.

“What made nursing different – the reason the reputation was good – prior to this trend? Before, only those who had the inclination took up nursing. But now, there are students who were even forced to take up nursing to help in the family. That is not exactly the right characteristic, the right attitude, the right mindset for nurses to give (the) nursing (profession) a good name abroad or anywhere else,” she maintained.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday called on licensed nurses, nursing graduates and other job seekers with healthcare backgrounds to “go out-of-the-box” and look for other healthcare-related job opportunities.

In a statement, Baldoz gave assurance that there is an “array of non-clinical, yet, medical-related job opportunities as alternate careers in the healthcare industry” for them.

“With the fast-growing and innovative trends and advancements in the healthcare industry, I encourage you to go out-of-the-box, beyond the traditional clinical jobs, and explore other emerging medical and health-related careers that are needed by our labor market today,” she said.

Citing a report of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Baldoz claimed that the healthcare information outsourcing sector of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is now one of the “fast-growing sectors” that offer over 100,000 medical-related jobs to nursing graduates.

“With the growth trend in the healthcare information management outsourcing industry, healthcare careers now expand into various disciplines which open huge career opportunities for nursing graduates and allied medical professionals,” she explained.

 Nursing graduates can also consider working as clinical research associates who monitor and administer health and safety protocols and related study training to assigned work sites.

 “If they are into clinical review and decision making, they may consider a career as a Clinical Appeals Specialist who abstracts clinically relevant facts documented in the patient’s medical record, reviews clinical cases and responds to written medical appeals of patients and clients,” Baldoz added.
Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/aspiring-nurses-urged-explore-other-fields-160000685.html

When 200,000 Nurses apply for 500 available nursing positions

Warning: This entry would mostly contain my frustrations about landing in a nursing related job.

It's a foggy, windy, chilly morning...but things are heating up (especially my dear laptop) because of the ongoing online application for the PhilHealth CARES program. YES, indeed! It is another government program for thousands of unemployed Filipino nurses, and sad to say I am one of them.

To start off, I am proud to say that I AM a registered nurse since August 2010. However, what disappoints me is that for nearly two years already I am not still employed as a nurse (staff nurse, clinical instructor,etc) nor do I have a job related to nursing. Others say that I should not worry for I'm still young but WTH, time is gold as they say:P... I'm still thankful though for I have worked as a private duty nurse a day before the NLE July 2010 result came out. I've worked my butt off through sleepless nights enduring the cold temperature. I did have good pay at first but as months passes by I felt that being a PDN is not enough training ground for me to practice what I have learned from my four year stay in college. But still I managed to practicing my profession as a PDN for nearly a year. this early employment made me despise being a volunteer nurse, where you as the volunteer need to pay an amount to get an experience. I have tried earning money so it's difficult for me to change gears and do something where I do not earn any amount. Plus, I am not given any allowance so that makes volunteering unacceptable for me. Volunteering would be my last option.haha. The pay was also just enough so I took my chance and landed on a teaching school catering Korean students who want to learn children.

I was happy about my decision for the salary was really good and I enjoyed teaching those cute little Koreans. Sadly, after the winter camp, I had no teaching load already. So i decided to end my temporary profession as a teacher. 

     That was in time when the government announced The RN HEALS program which aims to serve unemployed Filipino nurses. I immediately filed my application online as soon as I learned of the news, though I didn't have my license yet since I was really determined to land in a nursing job as soon as possible. **License processing the Filipino way: IT took me five months before I got hold of my license.** According to what I have understood, the screening process includes several interview. But what happened is, there were already chosen applicants even before the application ended. That really took me by surprise so I was disappointed. For the next days-months, I've got no work.

     Then... came another opportunity. RN HEALS II was again made available for still thousands and thousands of unemployed nurses. This time I have my license already so I was confident enough to sign up for an application. PLUS I did my best to bring my application early. As they say "The early bird catches the early worm."Luck was not with me for again I was not chosen to be one of the successful applicants. What made me more sad was that they turned the cards upside down; unfortunately among ten thousand nurses that they employed, the LATE BIRDS were the ones who landed in a nursing position. Lucky for those late birds they were able to have their late worms. ADD up the idea of BACKER SYSTEM which is really rampant in the Philippines. That totally disappointed me.

     Then here comes opportunity number three, the RN HEALS III program. Again, I sent my application for this. I also had the idea of sending my application at the end of the registration period for they might again choose the late applicants. But still, I applied for the job early. They said the results would be released on the second week of February through text or call. Tomorrow would be the third week of February so I guess I was not again given the chance to practice my nursing skill ( but that has to be confirmed first). I'm still hoping to see myself practicing my profession in the next month. *fingers crossed*

     And now the MAIN EVENT!! Opportunity number 4: PHILHEALTH CARES: Another program by the government to (AGAIN!!) cater to the unending number of unemployed nurses. So I took my chance again. The online application was from Feb.12- Feb 14. February 12, 12 midnight I was up to check if the site was already available, for I knew early in the morning it would be tormenting to sign up. But the site was still unavailable...until it was 2 am, then 3 then 5, then 6, then 7, then 8..Still unavailable. I laughed at the idea that maybe even the online application would practice office hours which starts from 8 am. Then about 8:15, viola.... There it was, the magnificent, most awaited application form. I knew time was my enemy, for thousands of nurses like me slept with their eyes half closed to be able to get through the application process. It took me two attempts before I could finish the form. When I clicked on the final button which says "register" the page read "PROBLEM LOADING FAILED". I freaked out for this may mean another waste of opportunity. But thanks to the refresh button I was able to submit my application successfully.

They would only provide positions for 500 nurses nationwide satisfying only 500/200,000 unemployed/underemployed nurses in the country. Luckily I was applicant number 30. If luck would be with me this time, I have a greater chance for having a nursing work next month. That is why I really pray that it would be in a first come first serve basis. Selfish, it may be but I guess that's how things really work. You fail then you stand again.

But what makes this scenario funny is that, online application is not as easy as clicking on the enter button to finish your application. As of the moment my co-nurses are having a hard time figuring out on how to finish the whole process. They always end up on a page which says "PROBLEM LOADING PAGE" or "PRC Unavailable". Others go crazy too after refreshing the page they were filling out thaurt noticed that the picture on their form was not theirs. Some may get tired of clicking on the refresh button time and time again. Most get paranoid for they fear that it would be on a first come first serve basis and they would turn out to be applicant number 12,000. I guess almost everyone also skipped breakfast 9and lunch, it's 12;45 already) just to finish this application. i was also supposed to go to Church but I ended up writing this loooooooonnnnggg blog and at least helping others out.

Breaking news:Some of those who were paranoid asking too much about the process was able to get through the application process. it took them 5 hours to submit an application. It's almost the same as the waiting time when you submit an application personally.

Happy for them:) But some, they're still on the mighty spell of the words "problem loading page". And I'm also glad and happy that I finished the application in not more than 30 minutes and being able to share tips and suggestions to my co nurses.

    I am a total bum for 2 moths already, staying at home sending lots of  applications for online jobs but not getting any response. I have barely 500 pesos on my pocket which I need to budget, the fact that I am going to school. It feels so awful when you're only at home doing nothing and earning nothing. So I'm really hoping I would be chosen here. This would be my 5th application attempt already, excluding the online jobs I applied to. Hopefully, with my fingers crossed, and with the grace of GOD, I would be one of those successful applicants.