Pinoy Nurse in Canada

8/13/2019 Pinoy Nurse in Canada

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PINOY NURSE IN CANADA

We are living in a fast evolving world-full of twist and dynais! I a a "ili#inoRegistered Nurse and I $an say t%at t%e nursing #rofession is no e&e#tion! 'i(eany "ili#ino nurses) I %ave a tale to tell! Yes) I a one of t%ose swayed t%at Nursing$an *ring e to a greener #asture! I a one of t%ose en$%anted t%at failies are

living s#lendid life *e$ause of t%is #rofession! +%is ay *e true a de$ade ago) *utnow) it is a sour$e of frustration! +o t%ousands of fellow "ili#ino Nurses) it is a

s%attered drea! ,ow "ar Your Nurse 'i$ense Carry You ,en$e) y story!!!

"our years ago) I graduated .a$%elor of S$ien$e in nursing wit% t%e %o#e t%at wit%t%e $raft I %ave) it would lead e and y faily to a greener #asture! In y yearsin s$%ool) #er%a#s t%e ost signifi$ant t%ing I learned is t%at) as an as#iring nurseto-*e) you need to %ave #assion and $onvi$tion of w%at you wanted to *e$oe! +%e

atters a*out assessent) nursing intervention) surgi$al #ro$edure)#at%o#%ysiology) edi$al-surgi$al su*/e$t and so on are erely additional to fulfil

su$% drea! I ree*er y $lassate told e w%en I as(ed %er) 0W%y did you

ta(e Nursing1 S%e answered) 0.e$ause I want to serve %uanity and I don2t wis%to go a*road) I want to serve y #eo#le1! You ay t%in( I a e&aggerating *ut itis not a lie! It is very ideal and I $annot raise any re*uttal t%at tie! Wit% today2s)

t%is idylli$ res#onse will never /ustify! Wit% t%e life we %ave in t%e P%ili##ineses#e$ially %aving a faily to feed) idealis is not a##li$a*le!

I too( y Nursing *oard two ont%s after graduation and su$$essfully #assed! I

wanted to #ursue NC'E3 e&a as it was advi$e to e *y one of y $lini$alinstru$tor! I %ad ade in4uiries on t%e #ro$essing t%at tie! Yet to y disay)

ta(ing NC'E3 e&a isn2t t%e *est $%oi$e! I %ad et senior nurses in y %oetownt%at already #assed NC'E3 and a$4uired t%eir US-RN li$ense! .ut t%e retrogression

of e$onoy overseas %ad ade t%eir a##li$ation #ending! .eing a newly RN t%attie) I a full of ent%usias! I went to several seinars su$% as Intravenous+raining 5I6+7! S#ent soe #esos and gained li$ense yet I %aven2t really used t%iss(ills u$%! It is si#ly a li$ense and soon to eire! I even #aid PNA ID twi$e yet I

don2t (now %ow t%is will %el#!

I $%ose to #ursue y study ta(ing 8aster in Pu*li$ ,ealt% w%ile engaging t%e a$t ofvoluntaris) free nursing servi$e! ,os#ital $lais as 6olunteer Nurses w%i$% eans

no salary *ut des$ri*ing 0voluntaris1 in soe %os#ital in y %oetown doesn2tgive /usti$e to its definition! Paying t%e %os#ital ont%ly de#ending on %ow long a

0new nurse1 stays in e&$%ange of NURSIN9 E3PERIENCE! 9overnent nursing#rogra arises to /ustify t%e s%ortage of e#loyent su$% as NARS) and RN ,eals!

It ig%t %ave %el#ed *ut for %ow long Si& ont%s) ay*e one year and does t%e$o#ensation gives /usti$e Soe nurses ay say YES *e$ause at least t%ey

re$eive a so $alled 0SA'ARY:CO8PENSA+ION1 rat%er t%an *eing a volunteer! 'astYear 5;


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e&$%ange for 0wor( eerien$e1 as well as training fees!

08any %os#itals %ave i#leented >nurse volunteeris2 in t%e guise of>training #rogras2 in order to /ustify t%e $olle$tion of >training fees)2 w%ere*y su$%*asi$ s(ills training #ut no added value to t%e #rofessional $areer of t%e nurses)1said *y ONA!

8y 4uest of finis%ing y 8aster2s Degree didn2t ta(e long! I %ave to $ease y study

and ta(e anot%er o#tion! I %ave younger si*lings w%o are in $ollege t%at tie andfinan$ially I (now y #arents are %aving %ard tie $o#ing wit% our eenses!

+a(ing 8asters is so eensive! I t%oug%t of #ursuing again w%en I find a /o*!Slowly) I started feeling de#rived! I felt so disa##ointed wit% t%e #rofession I$%oose! I t%oug%t t%at after graduation and #assing y *oard e&a will *e y roadto a$4uire nursing ?o*! I (now loo(ing for a /o* isn2t easy *ut as $o#ared to ot%er

#rofession) I find it diffi$ult! 8ost of y nursing *at$%es are wor(ing out of t%eirline! Soe *e$ae an Englis% +utor) saleslady) and even de$line t%eir vo$ation as

nursing aide or $aregiver /ust to go a*road! +%is *e$ae a *ig EYE OPENER to e)

#atien$e is always a virtue!

It was a year #assed sin$e y graduation) study w%ile wor(ing in U@ is in *oo

during t%at tie t%at even y senior nurses and $lini$al instru$tor are o#ts toa##ly! I %ave (nown soe of y old $lassate w%o too( t%e o##ortunity and a%eadof tie en/oying t%eir U@ life! "ro t%en) I $%oose to ta(e t%is #at%! It is a *ignursing transition t%at even in y #lan isn2t listed! ,aving a su##ortive fat%er and

*elieving in e) I and y *est friend too( t%e $%an$e! 6isa granted *utunfortunately y friend w%o we s%ared $oon nursing drea was denied! I

travelled alone to England!

At alost ;= of age) I anaged to rea$% 'ondon) England alone! +%is #la$e is fardifferent fro *a$( %oe! It is a wonderful #la$e and every single s#ot is *eautiful!It is also diversified ! ,aving relatives in t%e $ity is a *ig %el# yet you need tostruggle wit% t%e odern life! Not less t%an a ont% I a #roud to say I found a

/o* as Senior %ealt% Care assistant 5A!@!A nursing assistant) nursing aide) Care9iver7 in one %uge nursing and residential %oe! During our tie) our /o* %ours

weren2t stri$t! We $an ta(e s%ifts as u$% as t%e ideal %ours given to us due tostaff s%ortage! We go for two day study and t%e rest of t%e wee( is #urely wor(ed! I

%ave en/oyed t%e /o* t%oug% it is toug%! It is in t%e line of y #rofession andsoe%ow t%e nursing s(ills I %ave learned are refined! 9aining (nowledge t%roug%international setting) %ere I learned w%at is %oist 5a$%ine for oving #atient7)gadgets for s#inal #atients and odern edi$al te$%nology t%at I %aven2t seen in

y %oe $ountry! I feel aaed and t%an(ful t%at even I $an2t #ra$ti$e RN title!Yet) t%is does not give an e&$use! I envy soe of y nursing *at$%es w%o are

en/oying t%eir RN title in soe ot%er $ountry! Soeties old friends *a$( %oewould $all e s(y#e and as( if I a a nurse in t%e U@ or soe even say) 0,a%)

,ealt% Care assistant (a lng /an Yung ate (o %ig% s$%ool lng tina#os t%en Bont%s $aregiver $ourse e% ,ealt% $are assistant din &a1!

I re$all one tie on duty) I was $aring for a %uge #atient w%o %ad a S#inal in/ury


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and was #aralyed! S%e soiled %er *ed and needed %el#) and I was t%e only one int%e roo to %el# %er! In t%at si#le instan$e was w%en t%e reality %itno) ore

li(e sla##ed e a$ross t%e fa$e!

0O891 I said to yself) 0t%is is w%at I a going to *e doing for t%e rest of y life1

Reality stri(es e! On t%e ot%er %and) it is soet%ing t%at I didn2t #i$ture yselfdoing) soet%ing t%at is nearly *e a so $alled as #unis%ent to e! W%i$%

soeties even %ow u$% #assion you $rave for t%at t%ing) few regrets always$oe along!

8ost of y $olleagues are nurses *a$( %oe! We %ave t%e sae goal to *e$oe aU@ nurse! We too( IE'+S *eing one of t%e a/or re4uireents of *e$oing a nurset%ere! Yet) t%ings are not easy! In ot%er words) I need to find s#onsor)

$o#re%ensive %ours eerien$e) finan$ially atter and $o#lete all t%e ot%erre4uireents! I ust say ost of y fellow $olleagues w%o %ave P%ili##ines

li$ensed %ave one in $oon! So aggressive t%at we didn2t ta(e enoug% $lini$al RN

eerien$e *efore going a*road! Passing IE'+S is not t%e road *ut t%e eerien$e!.ut not all $an survive t%e toug% nursing life we %ave in t%e P%ili##ines wit% nosalary! Wit%out t%is) t%e ot%er o#tion is to ta(e t%e $ourse again in U@! De#end on

t%e nursing assessentF it ig%t ta(e anot%er two years for international edu$atednurses! 0Ou$% Re#eating t%e $ourse is too u$%1! .ut still) if it is t%e only way) Idid %o#e t%at I will a(e it soeday! Yet) living in a very eensive $ity w%ilesending oney *a$( %oe) it is soe%ow i#ossi*le to save enoug% oney for

t%at! Yes) to ention I %ad eerien$e earning at least ore t%an %undredt%ousand #esos in one ont% *ut it was never a *ig aount in #ounds es#e$ially

living in U@! Salary $%anges de#ending on %ow %ard you wor( in t%at $ountry!"ewer s%ifts ean less $o#ensation! 'ife is $o#etition out t%ere and REA'I+Y

stri(es e again!

.eing a*le to re$ognie t%e situation you are in is a realiation! Slowly) t%e t%ings%a##ening to e are li(e *rutal sa$(ed on y fa$e) it too( e a lot of tie *efore

I was a*le to e*ra$e it! A$$e#tan$e doesn2t %a##en in an instant! It2s a #ro$essyou would %ave to go t%roug% and you see it is not easy! 8y nursing drea starts

to *e s%attered!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a year sin$e I arrived in t%e $ity of 'ondon! All I $an say to #%ysi$ally des$ri*e

t%is #la$e is a##re$iation! I a #roud to say t%at I %ave visited ost of t%erefaous tourist s#ot! I sent #i$tures and U@ stuff to y faily! 8y sister w%o is a

fres% RN t%at tie wanted to follow y footste# and a##ly t%e way I did *ut I told%er a *ig 0NO1! I told %er to get enoug% $lini$al eerien$e and #ass nursing IE'+S

re4uireents! I wouldn2t allow %er to suffer t%e #ri$e of not %aving enoug%eerien$e! "urt%erore) I was a*le to survive wit% t%e toug% /o* in t%e nursing%oe !Yet) iigration in U@ t%at tie is turning u#! Student li(e us in in a*urning #late) I %ave de$ided to s#lit y %ours in t%at nursing %oe des#ite soe


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offered s%ifts! And soe%ow t%e anageent is aware so slowly t%ey are $utting%ours for us! So) I loo(ed for anot%er /o*! I was given t%e $%an$e to wor( #art tie

in a #restigious Ort%o#aedi$ ,os#ital) of $ourse as ,ealt% Care Assistant! It was agreat #la$e to wor( and t%is new /o* environent %ad given e t%e feeling t%at ynursing drea is on *urning fire again! +%e dying #assion of y nursing drea isre%a*ilitated!

I always *elieve t%at on$e you esta*lis%ed a strong $onvi$tion for soet%ingF you

$an *e good at anyt%ing! I realied I a still young and I %ave $%an$e to do t%et%ings I love in order to *e su$$essful! ,uan *eings are $reated to *e $onstantly

growing) $onstantly $%anging) ulti-tas(ing individuals) and t%at is w%y 9od gaveus t%e a*ility to learnto *e a*le to do anyt%ing

+%oug% I a still wor(ing *ot% in t%e nursing %oe and %os#ital) I also eerien$e

doing #art-tie lig%t %ouse(ee#ing to a ?ewis% faily! It is an e&tra in$oe for eand t%e #ay is really good! +%e %os#ital /o* %ad ade y nursing #assion to grow

and re-esta*lis% y nursing desire! Yes) I don2t %ave a U@ li$ensed yet t%e /o*

a(e e feel I a! 8y U@- RN $olleagues treat e /ust li(e a fully #ledged nurse*ut of $ourse wit% t%e liit es#e$ially in t%e edi$ation! 8oreover) I was a*le tosee different $ases of ort%o#aedi$ #atients t%at I %aven2t seen *efore! I %ave

wor(ed wit% t%e and a*le to assist y RN $olleague in soe vulnera*le $ases int%e ward es#e$ially if t%ey are s%ort staff! .efore) I used to read t%e and onlyt%eoreti$al *ut sig%ting and %ands-on refines e ore!

I re$eived en$ourageent fro y $olleagues of #ursuing y nursing drea in t%eU@ and not to *e $ontented of w%ere I a! +%ey say I will *e a great nurse! .ut

t%ey don2t (now indeed I2 tryingF I %ave *een trying ever sin$e! W%ile wor(ing) I%ave et international edu$ated nurses fro different ra$e and t%ey %ave long road

of story to tell! "ili#inos) Afri$ans) Roanian) Indian nurses and so on in t%e U@rea$% t%eir nursing drea wit% loads of ro$(s in t%eir *a$(! +%ey say not%ing isi#ossi*le if you really want too!

If you were to as( e in ters of $o#eten$y) #ersonal o#inion wit% no *ias)"ili#inos Nurses are t%e *est!

"ast forward!!!! I s#ent alost two years in 'ondon $%asing y nursing drea! I

wor( and earn yet t%e /o* satisfa$tion I still 4uest! .ut of $ourse t%e se$urity *einga foreigner in t%at $ountry) y visa will *e eiring after a year! I %ad finis%ed yfirst $ourse and need to enrol a new one w%i$% too eensive! 'earning andenrolling for a $ourse w%i$% I don2t (now if it will a(e y $areer *etter! I already

re$eived y $ertifi$ate for ,ealt% and So$ial Care N6G H t%at tie and to as() will ita(e any differen$e +%is England $ertifi$ate t%at I %ave #ut too u$% effort and

oney on y own for alost one year is not%ing as $o#ared to y NursingDegree in t%e P%ili##ines! I wanted to s%out w%y I would ta(e su$% $ourse w%en I

a a nurse! Yea%) I a stu#id for t%at! Reality stri(e over again

One orning) a #%one $all fro Canada rea$%es e! It was y Sister offeringanot%er swit$% t%at $ertainly affe$ted y e&isten$e! W%y not try Canada Anyway)


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it is t%e original #lan! +o rewind) I was still studying nursing w%en y sister and%us*and su*itted faily s#onsors%i#! .ut t%ings $%ange *e$ause I already

graduated yet t%e a##li$ation still on t%e #ro$ess and we %aven2t %eard %ow t%estatus was! I left no assuran$e! So I guess ay*e it is not for e *ut for yyounger si*lings if t%e a##li$ation will *e su$$essful!

As I end t%e $all) I felt a feeling t%at was *ot% strange and lovely at t%e sae tie!In /ust t%at si#le instan$e) y U@ nursing drea ig%t not #ursue *ut w%at

a*out giving a try in Canada! I felt ore t%an t%an(ful t%at I %ave a sister livingt%ere! It too( e soe tie to t%in( a*out! Sta*ility wise) I don2t %ave it in

England! 8y visa is studentF I %ave a very less $%an$e to gain #eranent residen$yor at least wor(ing visa! Wor(ing visa) ay*e yes *ut t%ere is no $ertainty! Alostevery #eo#le in t%e world want to live in 'ondon t%at iigrants t%ere are %aving%ard tie fi&ing t%ere status ! .ut if I #ursue wor(ing visa in Canada) t%ere is a *ig

$%an$e for e to a$4uire y #eranent residen$y t%ere after two-t%ree years!

"ast forward) I a$$e#t t%e offer of y sister to *e a live-in $aregiver for %er

daug%ter! It would *e unforgiva*le to say t%at it will /ust *e a 0using visa1 for e to*e legal in Canada w%ile waiting for t%e tie I a##ly y Peranent residen$y! 8ysister sends '8O and I #ro$essed y #a#ers! +wo ont%s after) I re$eived visa and

flew to t%e land of a#le) CANADA! ,ere is a new land) new drea! 8y s%attereddrea of *e$oing a U@ nurse transfor to a s#routing vision) to *e$oe aCanadian Nurse!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8y first year living in Canada) ay*e it is /ust a little reward to $onsider t%at at

least I %ave ingled wit% y aging #arents w%en t%ey $oe %ere for /ust a ont%visit! 8y frustrations t%at I %aven2t tour t%e in 'ondon so t%ey s%ould %ave seent%e #la$e t%at I %ave live t%ere! Canada I $an define it sae as you des$ri*e t%e$ountry as *eing Snowy and CO'D! It is really toug% and %uge ad/ustent for e!

It ta(es e alost a year to realie t%at you $an never fulfil a #erfe$t drea! +%erewill always *e a twist and soeties it *adly %urts! +%is ended e to *e ore

realisti$ and to a$$e#t t%ings are not always soot% even %ow u$% you try to#olis% and s#ar(le t%e way!

+%e weat%er w%en i arrive is e&treely $old and freeing) i needed to #assed outt%e winter *rea(! So it too( e at least t%ree ont%s *efore I %ad ade soein4uiries and ade soe #%one $alls to a Canadian nursing *ody! In t%is #la$e)

t%ey %ave a %ig% standard of Edu$ation! "oreign degree %olders need to undergoassessent in order to evaluate if you need to do soe u#grading or ta(e a

refres%ing $ourse! I went to in4uire to t%e nearest $ollege in our town!Aggressively) I #aid a registration fee in t%at s$%ool in order for t%e to assess y

#a#ers! Yet to y disay) t%ey advise e to $onta$t t%e #rovin$e nursing *ody! I%ave read all t%e re4uireents online and well written $lini$al eerien$e isi#ortant t%at i do la$(! I %ave everyt%ing only t%e eerien$e so t%is give e less$onfiden$e $onta$ting t%e Nursing *ody for RN! .ut still w%y not try! No %ar in


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trying t%ey say) so I ade a $all and tal( to one fro t%e nursing *ody! We werea*le to $onverse and as ee$ted $lini$al eerien$e wit% $ertain re4uired %ours are

needed! Yet) t%at $all isn2t a waste of tie! S%e infors e soe a$$oodatingo#tions! "irst) to do soe IGUAS and get *a$( to a Nursing College w%i$%de#ending on t%at result) International Edu$ated Nurses ig%t ta(e a two yearsore to get Canadian Nursing Degree! A$$ording to IGAS International

Gualifi$ation Assessent Servi$es) t%e J year .SN in t%e P%ili##ines is generallyassessed as siilar to ; or H years of #ost-se$ondary wit% a nursing fo$us! Se$ond

is to dire$tly $onta$t eit%er of t%e two governent $ollege in t%e #rovin$e t%atassess International Edu$ated Nurses a##lying to *e$oe a li$ensed #ra$ti$al

nurse! If you are internationally edu$ated nurse and wis% to regain your li$en$e inCanada to wor( as an 'PN) you $an a$%ieve t%is goal t%roug% a $o*ination of$%allenge e&as) transfer $redit) and #art-tie distan$e learning!

0,e$( +%is is too u$%1) I said to yself! It a(es e feel so *ad! +a(ing t%e firsto#tion is o(ay *ut finan$ially It is not favoura*le on y #art as of t%e oent! I

a so drained and to s#end alost J< t%ousand Canadian dollars 5ay*e ore7 for

two years IGUAS result isn2t #ra$ti$al for e! I a international student and ytuition will *e twi$e or t%ri$e u$% as $o#ared to a regular Canadian student! SoI tried t%e se$ond o#tion! ,ere) I a u$% $onfident!

+%e $ollege is five %ours drive away fro our #la$e! .ut I disregarded *e$ause Iai for it! 8y nursing fait% is %ig% t%at tie! I didn2t t%in( of any $onse4uen$es) t%eoney and loads of >1W,A+ I"11! I didn2t t%in( of assuran$e and $ertainty! All I

want is to give a try! I $o#ly wit% all t%e re4uireents! It too( e five ont%s to$o#lete! +rans$ri#t of re$ord ust *e send fro y university in t%e P%ili##ines

dire$tly to t%e Canada $ollege sae as t%e IE'+S! 8y iuniation re$ords w%i$%too( e so long to $o#lete as I %ave done several *lood wor(s and retrieve y

iuniation re$ords *a$( %oe! And so any ore stuff re4uireents t%atalost ade e give u# a##lying! +%ey wouldn2t start y a##li$ation andassessent unless all t%e re4uireents are $o#leted!

As soon as t%e re4uireents is t%oroug% $o#leted! I started y registration! It isself-$orru#ting! Iagine) I %ave gone t%is far and now again finan$ially I a not

ready! A reinder to yself) I a an international student w%i$% #ayents will *etwi$e eensive! Yea%) to start y a##li$ation I %ave y iniu savings fro y

'ondon /o* *ut it wouldn2t $over y eenses soon! 8oney goes to fast and it2s li(ea $andle *urningF w%en it2s gone) no ore! I a on a wor(ing #erit yet on#a#ers! I don2t ee$t salary *e$ause it is y sister and *rot%er-in-law w%o s#onsore! At first I #lanned of transferring for a real /o* *ut I realied it will /ust affe$t

y status w%enever I a##ly for Canada Peranent Residen$y! One $ontinuouss#onsor is t%e fastest way! I a /ust lu$(y t%at I %ave su##ortive sister to su##ort

e *ut of $ourse not finan$ially! I understand t%ey %ave t%eir own faily finan$ialissues! I live wit% t%e and t%ey #ay y ta&es too! +%e only way I $an give *a$( is

to $are for y lovely nie$e w%ile t%e #arents are at wor(!

+wo ont%s after y registration) I re$eived t%e assessent I %ave *een waiting! It%in( it is fair enoug%) soe of y nursing su*/e$ts *a$( %oe are $arried w%i$% I


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a %a##y a*out! +%e rest will *e a $%allenge e&a! +%ey give e t%ree sets ofe&a! +%is ai t%at w%atever su*/e$t I failed fro t%e #assing s$ore eans t%at I

need to ta(e it as a full $ourse su*/e$t t%roug% #art-tie distan$e! +%e e&a ust*e fulfilled over =B wee(s *ut not *eyond! +%ey give y o#tions of w%i$% datess%ould I ta(e every e&a and I %ave settled! As of t%e oent) I a going to ta(et%e first set t%e first wee( of "E. ;

Pinoy Nurse in Canada

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