The nursing profession here in the United States is still in massive demand; the only reason why there has been an considerable decease in importation of Filipino nurses from the Philippines is due to the increased immigration laws the country has implemented due to the unchecked illegal immigration as well as a response to America's war on terrorism. Not only has immigration to the United States been taxing to the Filipino, but to every single nationality (Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, French, Canadian, British, Rusisan, etc).
Additionally, many more American citizens are picking up nursing as a profession. So, naturally, Americans will endorse a protectionist policy regarding foreign nurses vs. American-trained American nurses. Understand?
The question of quality of training and excellence of schooling in the Philippines is not of any concern. Sure there are great schools that produce excellent Filipino nurses, my mother is one who graduated from C.I.M and is a head ICU/OR nurse. But she, as many nurses are a product of the early 90's brain drain. When the immigration laws were more laxed. The same cannot be said in the 21st century. The point is, why import nurses from abroad when one can train American nurses; and this is a recent fact.
More and more Americans are going into nursing due to community college courses.
Naturally one would get their BSN/RN degree, which is a 4 year degree or 5 year depending on the university or private college. However, here in the United States there is what we call an LPN or RN/AD program. In order to get one's LPN licentiate, it only requires 1 year of community college course. To get their RN/AD, its only 2 years.
However, just because there is a lack of demand on nursing right now does not mean that it will be impressed continually. The current nurses are aging and will be needing replacement; it is already estimated in the journal of new england medicine that by 2015 and 2020, the United States will need an additional 1-2 million nurses to fill in its ranks due to the aging baby-boomer population.
By right of economical supply and demand, there will be an eventual importation of foreign nurses; Filipino nurses being highly regarded. In the hospital where my mother works, a major health system, she is the D.O.N for ICU. And another Filipina nurse is the director of ER/CCU.
It cannot be denied that Filipinos have a significant role in American health systems. I know, as a medical student and one who has rotated and done internships in Cleveland Health Clinic, Georgetown University Medical Center, Maryland University School of Medicine Health Systems, etc. I see this in my own eyes. Who runs the ICUs, the CCUs, the ERs, the PCUs. It is the Filipino.
Eventually, demand on Filipino nurses will open up again. And it is a worthy and noble profession.
A nurse can easily make $150,000 a year if he or she wanted to. A Nurse anesthetist can easily make $350,000 a year.
Its a practical profession and it is one that litigates support in congress. It's essential.
Cheers,
Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=14348.0
