(Originally Posted at http://narsako.wordpress.com/)
No one can deny that the progress of the nursing profession here in the Philippines is on a downward trend. I’ve known this phenomenon ever since I have opened my eyes to the realities that surround our profession and I’m sick of it already. And when I say “I’m sick of it”, you better keep your mouth shut and don’t ask me why. Just look around and you will know the answer right away. I saw it coming back then but I still took the risk anyway. To this day, I can’t count how many times people have asked me this same 7-syllable question over and over again:
“Bakit ka ba nag-Nursing?”
It was asked by a co worker when I decided to file my
resignation in a BPO company two months ago. It was asked by my sister who also
just graduated this year and earned a bachelor’s degree in Radiologic
Technology, which she boasts to be more financially rewarding than Nursing abroad. It was asked by my high
school classmates, friends, relatives, and virtually every people who knows I’m
a registered nurse. Kung puwede lang irecord ang sagot ko para di na ko mapagod
kakaexplain sa kanila, ginawa ko na noon pa. But I have no choice but to tell
them honestly that I took the nursing course because it was in demand back then
and that no one had forced me to do so. It is a typical answer that doesn’t
make any sense as far as the present state of nursing employment is concerned.
I remember when I shifted from Biology
to Nursing way back in 2006, I was bombarded with ideas like “Hindi ka yayaman sa pagdodoktor” , “Mag-nursing ka na lang” , and all that
kind of ‘practical suggestions’, so to speak. I eventually took up Nursing,
survived the gruelling studies coupled with rigorous clinical duties, and
graduated early this year. I have discovered two things almost 5 years after I
decided to take up nursing: One, I’m glad that I didn’t take up Medicine because I fell in love with
Nursing in the process and lastly, the idea that Nursing would lead to greener
pasture was a trap and an eye-opener at the same time. It’s as if a reversal of
nature is happening and the same people who gave me the aforementioned
‘practical suggestions’ are now telling me that
“Hindi ka yayaman kung magnunursing ka lang”, “Magdoktor ka na
lang” and all that kind of crappy stuff.
Sometimes, I feel bad for earning the nursing degree at the wrong place and at
the wrong time. I envy those nurses from the early generations who got a lot of opportunities for them and I
wonder if they are even aware that the words “volunteer” and “contractual” now
represent the current batch of Filipino nurses.
”Bakit nga ba ako
nag-Nursing?”
I can’t even think of a single best answer to satisfy this
question but ironically, I can think of a lot of reasons (can even reach
thousands!!haha) why I should quit NOW and pursue other rewarding career. How
to quit Nursing in one day? Very simple: Always be pessimistic and know the
following reasons by heart:
1. It’s tough to be a USRN. We all want to work in the US if
given the chance. American nurses, they say, are one of the most financially
blessed nurses nowadays but how the heck can someone like me become a USRN if
the US is closing its doors for foreign applicants and even struggling to
provide jobs for its own American nurses. I heard that they are now processing
Visa applications from way back 2005 but this is more of a discouraging news
for someone like me who doesn’t even have a financial capability to take NCLEX
and pay for all the requirements not just for US and for other countries as
well. Kung puwede lang na mag-asawa ako ng Kano..kahit girl, boy, bakla, or
tomboy man yan, papatusin ko na maging
US citizen lang ako….
2. It’s tough to be a USRN but its even tougher to be
accepted as a nurse in the Philippines. They always say every nurse should
start from scratch and struggle to move upward. But how on earth can I start my
career if I’m competing with thousands of nursing graduates for a hospital
position that doesn’t even guarantee of a long-term employment? Ma-hire ka
man,utang na loob mo pa sa hospital na may experience ka pero wala namang
bayad. In addition to that, there will always be these so-called “backer
system” and expensive training requirements to stand in my way. It’s quite
frustrating that the government wasn’t able to regulate nursing schools during
those times when nurses spread out like
gremlins, increasing it’s numbers over the years. And what do I do now?
Taking endless search and endless trainings that will just lead me to an
endless waiting time. Kung meron lang
sanang magic potion na puwede kong ilagay sa resume ko para iprioritize agad ng
mga hospitals application ko….
3. It’s tough to be accepted as a nurse in our country but
its tougher to stay working in the hospital. Nurses have a lot of issues why
they quit working in the hospital. They are burned out, unpaid or underpaid,
exploited, neglected, abused , and degraded by the hospital management. The
dismal condition of nursing employment and the unfair nurse-patient ratio
are pests that will keep on recurring
unless properly addressed. Nursing is a tough job so we can’t stay doing charity
works for the rest of our lives. I’m tired of hearing cliche like “I want to be
a nurse because I want to save lives” because there a lot of jobs out there
that will allow you to save lives without even becoming a nurse. Admit it, we
all want to be a nurse because we want better lives for our families one way or
the other. And nurses didn’t spend thousands of pesos for their nursing studies
para lang magtrabaho dito at kumita ng halagang mas malaki pa sweldo ng
katulong. Kung puwede lang na mabuhay
uli si Florence Nightingale at maging presidente ng Pilipinas…..
4. It’s tough to be a nurse, period. I remember during the
last day of my IVT Training at a Marikina hospital, the Director of Nursing
shared how, at one point in her 20 years of professional life, she almost gave
up and think of quitting Nursing for good. I was taken aback by her story and
felt the hardships and trials she has faced during the span of her career.
“Napakahirap maging nurse..tandaan nyo yan!” was her rant that has kept me
thinking hard if my decision of quitting a high-paying job to go back to
Nursing is the best decision for me. But look at her now and how her life
turned out. She has climbed her way to the top and have realized that she has
survived those tormenting days at the Pediatric Ward not because she had no choice
but because her love for her profession is insurmountable. Kung puwede lang na
lakas ng loob, sipag at diskarte na lang ang labanan sa Nursing, eh di sana
marami na ring umasenso tulad ko…..
Again, one can quit nursing and decide to leave it for good in
just one day. How? By just allowing oneself to get discouraged easily by those
reasons above. I, at one point in my life, hated Nursing and almost quit. But
in the long run, I have realized that not every one can be a nurse and I
couldn’t see myself doing other jobs in the future. I love caring people and I
want to grow professionally even if the promise of working abroad is bleak for
now. Are these reasons enough to make me a genuine nurse? I don’t have any
idea. I just love what I’m doing and I know that Nursing is not all about money
and benefits in the first place. It’s about being human and following what your
heart wants you to do. I have a lot of what if’s and doubts about the future.
Can a weakling like me have the courage and skills to withstand the rocky road
of the nursing profession? I can’t answer it myself. The future might be gloomy
for now but at the end of the day, it’s not who I was in the past but who I
choose to be for the rest of my life that will matter significantly. I have the
choice to quit Nursing in one day but I choose to love Nursing and it’s one
decision that will stay unbreakable for the rest of my life. -Nars A. Ko
(Credit to Nars. A. Ko - http://narsako.wordpress.com/)
(Credit to Nars. A. Ko - http://narsako.wordpress.com/)
