Hello. I am not a nurse trainee/volunteer but I am a newly registered nurse (batch July 2010) and after reading the posts/experiences of my fellow colleagues, I can say that I am dismayed by the REAL scenario in Philippine hospitals. Last week, I applied in a famous private hospital as staff nurse for their satellite clinic. I was brave enough to apply in this private hospital because our school is affiliated with it and according to our dean, graduates from our school are given priority (this is with proper procedure, of course).
When I went there, I was even advised to apply as staff nurse in the hospital itself because according to them a lot of nurses have left the instution. But here's the catch...I still have to pay the hospital "training fee". I did not bother to ask how much. I know there wont be a meal/transpo allowance as well so I temporarily kicked the idea out of my mind and pushed through with my application for their satellite clinic instead. When I was interviewed, they said they are not yet hiring staff nurses in the specific branch I wanted but I was asked if I'm willing to be trained without pay. Ok, so same scenario. I was thinking, OPD clinic na nga lang, trainee parin WITHOUT pay. And its like minamata ako dahil wala ako experience.
But how can I get experience if hospitals won't hire us. You're supposed to get a job to get experience and not the other way around! I did not pursue them, since there is no hiring yet. So now I'm frustrated. We are not well-off and we cannot pay for such "training fees". Saan ba napupunta ang fees na yan anyway? I studied for four long years, and I know we have spent so much on my tuition fees and I was hoping I could give back to my family. But how? When the hospitals in the Philippines are exploiting new nurses! Yes, I know that volunteering can be rewarding expecially when you have done successful interventions to your patients. But how can you feel good when at the end of the day, you worry about where you will get money for your food and transportation allowance for your duty the next day? Nurses are humans too. They get tired, they get hungry, they get sick. You give your whole self to care for your patient, do all the dirty work in the hospital and yet you are not properly COMPENSATED!
I wish even just a mere meal and transpo allowance and hazard pay from hospitals be given to "trainees". Why do hospitals even bother to get you as "trainees" when at the end of your hardwork, they will just turn you down saying that they cannot hire you as staff nurses yet. The training fees and allowance will just go to waste. And also, "volunteering/training" won't be counted as work experience anyway so what shall we do??
I hope something will be done about this. Another thing that frustrates me is the "palakasan" system. I have asked some friends if they can suggest a good hospital where I can try to apply and they always say that its hard to apply because most good hospitals do not hire nurses even as trainees. But if you have a family member working in the hospital or you know someone prominent, you get in easily. So much for playing fair huh?
This resolution by Sen. Pia Cayetano is indeed very timely since new nurses has just been produced and are now clammoring to get into different hospitals just to volunteer. I hope this resolution will be passed because really, the employment system for nurses here in the Philippines is rotten. No wonder a lot of them resort to a call center job because they can get hired immediately and of course, the salary is high. Personally, I do not want to join the callcenter bandwagon. I have nothing against them. Its just that I do not want my nursing skills to be put to waste. But with the situation today, I'm guessing that I'd eventually have to settle with a non-healthcare related job just to make ends meet.
There's a lot more concerns that I can say but I guess this sums it up. This has become pretty lengthy already.
Please continue to update us regarding this matter. Thank you very much.
~ nurse ivan
"Ang KatipuNurse (KN) ay isang malayang kilusang panlipunan na naglalayon na himukin ang bawat nars or dalubhasang tagapangalaga na maging masusing tagapagbantay ng mga makabuluhan napapanahong mga pangyayari at mga isyung kinakaharap ng mga kapwa nars sa Pilipinas."
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