Inihayag ng Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) nitong Huwebes na mas matagal ngayon ang paghihintay ang mga Pilipinong nurse na magkapagtrabaho sa Amerika dahil sa tumagal bago mailabas ang kanilang mga visa na inaabot ng taon ang iba.

Sa panayam ng GMA News Online sa Maynila, sinabi ni PNAA President Dr. Marlon Saria, na ang mas mahigpit na patakaran sa imigrasyon ng administrasyong Trump ay hindi naman direktang nakaapekto sa mga nurse na Pinoy, ngunit maaaring may epekto sa pagproseso ng mga visa application.

Ayon kay Saria, ang mas matagal kaysa karaniwang waiting time sa visa, ay maaaring nagdulot “ripple effects” sa health care sector ng US.

"We do have nurses who have since qualified who are unable to come to the US because of the processing of their visa applications. Unfortunately, they're having to wait a little longer for their cases to be reviewed and approved," pahayag ni Saria sa sidelines ng Filipino Nurses Global Summit VI at 15th International Nursing Conference sa Conrad Hotel sa Pasay City.

Sinabi rin niya na ang mas mahabang visa processing ay maaaring nakapag-ambag na sa kakulangan ng mga nurse sa ilang ospital sa Amerika na lubhang nangangailangan ng nursing manpower.

"I'm hearing that it is already a problem for some of our nurses. It's also a problem for some of the organizations. Hospitals in the United States where they are expecting the nurses to fill in some of those positions that they need to fill… it is very hard to find staff. It's very difficult right now and that might be a contributing factor to why there is short staffing in many organizations across the US," dagdag niya.

Kabilang ang kakulangan ng staff sa mga pangunahing isyung inilabas ng mahigit 1,000 Pilipinong nurse na lumahok kamakailan sa isang malawakang hospital strike sa New York City.

Nangyari ito matapos mabigo ang negosasyon hinggil sa mas mataas na sahod, mas maayos na benepisyo sa kalusugan, kaligtasan, at isyu sa staffing.

Sinabi ng PNAA chief na bagama’t hindi makapagkokomento ang organisasyon tungkol sa lokal na healthcare system at nursing situation sa New York City, nauunawaan naman nila ang mga usapin na inilabas sa nasabing protesta.

Sa kabila ng nangyari sa New York, sinabi ni Saria na, "In general, Filipino nurses are very highly regarded, are doing very well, and are very successful. We do have cases where we hear of abuse of Filipino nurses, in terms of employment abuse, where they may be shifted to another facility without them agreeing to or knowing in their contract, but those are isolated cases. We know they're happening, isolated cases, but generally, Filipino nurses are very well regarded, very highly regarded in the US."

Idinagdag pa niya na, “Forefront in our mind is the patients who is the center of all of these. The nurses are advocating for the patients and advocating for themselves and advocating for recognition. And so, we want to make sure and we're hoping for a quick resolution of what's happening for the benefit of the patients in New York."

Hinikayat ng PNAA ang mga Pinoy nurse na nangangailangan ng tulong na makipag-ugnayan sa kanila.

"Come to PNAA if you need help with other issues that you may have outside of the legal issues, in terms of their employment...  We would definitely benefit as an organization to collect the voice… The more voices we have in our organization, the more we will be heard and the more we will be represented," ani Saria — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/FRJ GMA Integrated News