US demand for Filipino nurses declining - educator

Some 40 percent of Filipino nurses in the United States have undesirable work habits, which could likely be the cause for the slump in the demand for Pinoy nurses, an educator said Friday. An article in Sun-Star Cebu quoted Henry Seno, president of the American Dream Review Institute Inc. (Amdream) as saying that the decline in the demand for Filipino nurses abroad is caused more by a change in work attitude of the latest batch of nursing professionals rather than the June 2006 nursing board exam cheating controversy. Amdream's website said it is an affiliate of a Los Angeles-based company with operations in the Philippines that serves as a springboard for Asian operations. It was conceptualized for the purpose of assisting nurses to pass the different US immigration requirements. The Philippines is a haven for medical professionals. However, the dilemma is, only a handful passes the test required for migration to the US. “Nurses in the Philippines now are no longer of the same quality as the nurses five to 10 years back," Seno said. He said 40 percent of Filipino nurses in the United States, despite receiving an average salary of $8,000 to $10,000 a month, “do not show up for work (and) literally do not report to the hospitals, especially those with immigrant status (while) those who report act as if they are not there because they’re busy doing other things." Seno also hits the growing number of nursing schools in the country, churning out nursing graduates who are lacking in hands-on experience and a good grasp of educational background. “There are more nursing schools now and so many nursing graduates. These schools have become mere diploma mills," Seno said. This negative scenario, he said, has caused hospitals and clinics in the United States to recruit more nurses from India, Korea and China compared to those they hire from Philippines as these institutions have become apprehensive in their choice of nursing imports. Seno also blames local recruitment agencies for taking advantage of the need for nurses in the US by “duping" hospitals and health institutions to hire Pinoy nurses who are not qualified for nursing jobs. - Luis Gorgonio, GMANews.TV