NURSES EXODUS: My Beloved Philippines Are We Not Important To You?

I guessed you are right regarding our nurses seeking greener pastures but then you can't blame our government for not giving importance to our nurses. They have a far lot more issues concerning them however it is not a good excuse either. Let us hope for the best for the betterment of the Philippines.

Im really sorry you're going through this. We have the same problem here in Canada. Theres a shortage of nurses and most of them have gone to work for the private sector instead of working for the government, being treated badly with mandatory overtime. They are tired and fed up. I dont blame them for jumping the fence. I blame my government!! Soon, only the very rich will be able to stay healthy.

That is what you call economics. When supply is high then the value of the produce would be low, but when the supply is low, then the value would be high. For now, there are far more nurses that the country would ever need which is why nurses face tougher job competition than the other types of profession. You see, the sudden influx of nurses should have been controlled. Too many parents wanted their children to be nurses for the purpose of going abroad to work. The influx should have been stopped a few years back, but no, schools accepted more and more students. This actually happened in the early 1980's as well, when there were a lot of nurses. That wave caused a lot of nurses to go abroad and after the wave was done, a lot found themselves stuck in the Philippines with lower pay. Same with the sudden rise of Physical Therapists about 10years ago in the late 1990's, a lot were PT's and RT's, most ended up working in jobs not related to their profession. In order to not be lost in the wave, we must be logical in choosing our profession. We should not join the fad when it's already at its peak. Whatever profession it may be, when there's a peak, there will always be a decline to follow. So, my dear nurse, are you still worth? Sadly, not at this moment. But perhaps a few years down the road you would be once again. But, how old would you be then? I guess it surely needs that you find your 'edge' among all your competitors in order to survive in this world - whatever your profession may be.

I don't think being underpaid means you are not important. The government, and the whole country for that matter, wanted the best nurses, doctors, engineers, teachers, etc... to stay here and improve our lot but it simply can't afford to do so. That's one of the effect of globalization. The most affluent gets the best goods.

I don't think this country will ever run out of nurses for the moment. knowing that foreign countries are also experiencing depression, they would choose their own people rather than the OFW, that's why there were news about some nurses not having a job because of lack of vacancies for nurse. and not to mention underpaid that most of your co-workers only aim to work abroad and just get experience here. that's the reality now.

I am a nurse and I know where your coming from. This issue really needs to be addresses as there are still a lot of students going for the nursing course.. A lot of schools are still accepting students even though they know that this students when they graduate and become RNS are most likely going to be unemployed or work as a nurse but paid paid less. Studying nursing is expensive and this is what we get.. I don't know if anyone in the Government is concerned about this. But hopefully someone concern enough will do something about it.

We cannot blame you if you want to leave the country. I too will do the same if I were on your shoes. Call me unpatriotic then. I will, without hesitation, get out of the country and never look back if given the chance. Why would you come back to the place where you only got was pain and suffering? I would also encourage you to leave specially if your reasons are financial and for your family which is only logical. Now, if you ever reached the country of your choice, be an angel and get your family out of the country too. You do not want them to suffer the same fate as the others. Pay your taxes where your taxes will definitely work for you. I am a Filipino, but I hate adobo. Happy MyLotting! :D

I guess this happens because of the wrong concept by people about nurses and money per se. People think that when you finished a very expensive course you will be paid high, in reality it doesn't happen all the time. Parents expected too much from this field. In fact in other countries, nobody took this course because it is a basic truth that this field doesn't guarantee of a high paying job. Now this becomes a problem in the Philippines, most people believe that when you finished this field you will be paid high that's where frustration originated. Actually nurses are no longer the top paying job in the country since 10 years ago but many people refused to buy this idea, hence the disappointment. But if your look around, there are still many professions aside from nurses which are underpaid, this is because our economy, the reality of our economy couldn't afford to pay high. This rooted to the principles of the demand and supply, the nature of the job also falls unto this category.