Filipino nurses becoming more in demand in rich countries

DAVAO City - The demand for Filipino nurses in developed countries is growing.

In the United States alone, demand is estimated at 600,000 between now and 2020, acting regional labor chief Romeo Cagas said during a round table discussion on the nursing profession in Davao City.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) regional director Delfina Camarillo reported that some 33,964 nurses were deployed abroad from 1995 to 2000.

But in 2001 alone, 13,536, or 39.85 percent of Filipino nurses, were deployed between 1995 and 2000.

Attended by various institutions, including the Commission on Higher Eduction in the Southern Mindanao Region, St. Augustine School of Nursing, Davao Doctors College, U.M. School of Nursing, Ateneo de Davao University and other nursing entities, the round table talk focused on the issues of the nursing profession in the Philippines, which needs intervention to cushion the effects of outflow of nurses from the country and maximize employment opportunities for nurses to encourage them to work in the Philippines.

It was suggested that implementation of the new Nursing Law, or Republic Act 9173, be strictly enforced and graduates in nursing courses first serve the country for at least two years before they can leave the country. It was also recommended that stiffer requirements for Filipino nurses going abroad be required.

“There used to be a program requiring nursing graduates to do rural service, but now our nursing profession has become very lax. Nurses should first serve the country before going abroad,” one participant said.

The Department of Labor and Employment’s employment promotions chief, Ofelia Domingo, said the nursing shortage in the U.S. is being caused by steep population growth resulting in a growing need for health care services; a diminishing pipeline of new students in nursing; an aging nursing workforce; and the lack of interest among youths to take up nursing because of the difficult and risky working conditions.

Filipino nurses prefer to work abroad because of its high pay. Low salary, abject health conditions and political instability are the frequent reasons cited by Filipino nurses trying their luck abroad.

Other points of discussion included:

• The shortage of nurses has led US hospitals to entice nurses from other countries by increasing the signing bonus from $1,000 to $7,000;

• There is need of nurses in Austria, Norway and Japan; • Doctors study to become nurses just to leave the country and get a US immigrant visa.