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| Photo from wordpress.com. I wrote this article a year ago and republished it here |
By Alon Calinao Dy: Have you ever wondered why Filipino nurses decide to work overseas? This question always lingers in my mind. But now, I can finally understand. How many student nurses graduate in the Philippines annually (in thousands)? 36,000? 40,000? And, how many nurses each year become the newly registered nurses in the country? Hence, what do you expect? Do you think that the government could give them all the nursing jobs that they nee, d? I find it insulting; every time I hear someone say that Filipino nurses are only after money. Although, this is partially true that they are seeking better pay and greener pastures abroad. Yet, it is not all about money.
First of all, if Filipino nurses will not go out in the country for work, what do you think will happen to the whole Filipino nurse community? In fact, Filipino nurses who work abroad are actually giving other nurses chances to get nursing jobs in the country. Not only that, their income and remittances alone generate millions of Pesos every year, saving the economy of the country. Do you think that the government will not benefit from this? Of course, everyone does.
Another thing is that Filipino nurses are known for having good qualities such as empathy, respect, good communication skills, emotional stability, flexibility, and many more. This is one of the reasons why they are everywhere in the world, because their employers love to work with them. In abroad, they are not just “Room Nurses”, but they are well-trained and competent, professional registered nurses. They are in demand and popular because they are good at what they do.
Although, Filipino nurses are willing to serve their own country, they have no other choice but to work overseas due to lack of domestic opportunities for nurses in the country. In other words, working overseas is in the best interests of all, especially for their families. You know it is hard for them to see their sons and daughters, crying while they are leaving. For them, the pain is like tearing their hearts apart. If only the country can compensate all their needs, why do they need to work abroad when they can be with their families everyday? Why do they need to suffer years of loneliness, of being away?
Therefore, working abroad as a nurse is not all about money, but it is having good opportunities and getting expertise in the field of nursing. So that when they go back to their country, they would be able to serve their people well.
Also, being a nurse is a wonderful gift from God Almighty. It feels good when you know that someone recovers because you take good care of him/her. Yes, it is always good to serve ill people. No amount of money will ever buy the happiness that you give to those who are sick. That’s why nurses are angels of the sick.
