Do they really want to become nurses?
By rajaiv0810
@rajaiv0810 (1012)
Philippines
March 16, 2010 11:08am CST
Yesterday, I was in the hospital with my daughter as she needed to have some lad test and I was inquiring a lot of things to the nurse who is attending to us. I have just noticed that this nurse doesn't know a lot of things and kept on asking her colleague. In other words i really find her stupid and not suited for job and I really wonder how she passed the board exam for nurses. She may be good in books but definitely not in the practical area which I think is one of the most important part as a nurse. I was really irritated by her stupidity in fact that I was so tempted to insult her, which I didn't do of course.
I've just come to think that students right now chose to become a nurse not that they have passion for it but rather only to have better opportunities abroad. Some study nursing for 2 years only and in fact they don't see their teachers very often too. I feel like taking up nursing is like a "get rich quick" program.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@basqui (3888)
• Philippines
17 Mar 10
I could relate so much to this! My father was hospitalized a couple of years ago. He had an operation in the knee. I was there when the wound was to be cleaned and the doctor was assisted by a nursing student, an intern. She was pouring this liquid on the wound, i forgot how it was called, it was to flash the wound. Then for a while she said she's feeling dizzy. I smiled and took the container and i let her sit down. The doctor smiled too.
The Philippines is a number one source of nurses worldwide and i think not all that take nursing as a profession really wants to be one. They are just pushed on by their family and sometimes only for the desire to work abroad. It's a Filipino nature to want to be successful and we can't condemn these parents who push their children into professions which are not fitted for them. isn't it?
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@rajaiv0810 (1012)
• Philippines
20 Mar 10
My cousin was also forced by his mum to take nursing but after the second year he quit. And here in the Philippines there are lots of schools who can't even pass the standards and their percentage of boards passers are small. I hope they would just stop taking Nursing if they knew that they are not qualified so not to waste money and time. There are lots of other degrees which they can pursue if they only want to go abroad. Some of these are IT, Computer Science, HRM, Accountancy.
@basqui (3888)
• Philippines
21 Mar 10
you are right. It's a misconception of some Filipinos that only nursing profession could earn them works abroad. It's just because of the popularity of it that it is the most chosen course to take. Added that it is hard to take, even after graduation from the university where you would still review for board exams and so on, It is a pain in the pocket, It is an expensive course too. Interning and the likes have to be paid on some time in the course so it is really expensive. But we could not stop our fellow countrymen in doing so because it's their dreams to improve their lives. If they can Support the studies then we could not stop them from dreaming of working abroad.
@dr0czh (53)
• China
17 Mar 10
I never go through such experience but I always have the feeling that being nurse is a very good job.My friend's sister is a nurse.She tells me that nurse is a hard work for her .She needs to take care of somebody who aren't able to move,wash the dirty cloth and ofen on night duty. But she admit that it's a stable job for a girl in this economic downturn.I think the problem for these nurses is from their poor occupation accomplishment.
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@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
16 Mar 10
Hi rajaiv,
These days people don't join nursing for their passion and vocattion, its all to do with money and experience so they can do other things and have a good CV but tell them to do any work, they can't, its the world over I'm afraid. No one cares.
Tamara
@rajaiv0810 (1012)
• Philippines
20 Mar 10
That's right Tamara they are just there for the money and not for the profession anymore. Too bad and too sad.
@carmenzhj (120)
• New Zealand
17 Mar 10
she might be new, but if she is new then they should of inform you. For example I went to see my doctor the other day and they had a new doctor there and they asked me that is alright the new doctor see me there. In then end I still think that they should have told you if she is new or not? Or you get to choose who to do it on your kid.
@junmae (1586)
• Philippines
17 Mar 10
I agree with you, majority of the nurses just took up the course because they want to go abroad which the salary are higher than any work here in the Philippines. Seldom pursue the career because it is there passion. I am also a nurse but didnt pursue the career, instead I choose to work in a corporate because I believe that it is my passion. My parents are the one who had chosen the course for me and as a child, I must obey them or else they wont allow me to go to college anymore. Thankfully, they didnt push me to practice my career, they just want me to finish my college so that I could have a great future ahead. I wont place the life of the patient at stake because I am not knowledgeable with my profession, I rather than work as a common office staff.
1 person likes this
@hvedra (1619)
•
16 Mar 10
She might be a new or trainee nurse. Personally, I'd rather she checked with a colleague rather than assuming something and getting it wrong.
There is a lot of debate about nursing here at the moment. A lot of nurses do seem to see it as a career path and not a caring vocation. Sometimes their bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. Before they had to train on the job and at the start they got all the unpleasant jobs to do first before they were allowed to do any nursing - this got rid of a lot of the ones who only wanted to do the "nice" jobs. Looking after sick people can be dirty and unpleasant but it is very necessary. Some nurses now think helping a patient keep clean or go to the toilet is beneath them and complaints about the lack of care are going up.
@rajaiv0810 (1012)
• Philippines
16 Mar 10
I would prefer that too only if the question maybe could be very complicated for her to answer.
It is definitely not a vocation anymore. I also feel that they have memorized the book without understanding it when they took their board exams coz when it comes to practical things they can't perform it. I sometimes think that it could be scary to leave your patients with these kind of nurses. Your patient may die and the nurse still couldn't realize the reason why.
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