Today, May 12, 2024, we celebrate International Nurses Day in commemoration of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, and in celebration of the service of nurses worldwide.
In Nightingale’s teaching, the importance of care in healing is heavily prioritized—care which is often found in the most humane experience as we look inwards.
As one becomes a nurse, it often reflects the journey of finding the inspiration to provide care to patients in dire need, as depicted in her teachings.
This calling to become a healthcare professional may change over time. It would be interesting to explore whether Nightingale’s intrinsic need to care is as intrinsic among Cebuano nurses who have just entered the field and those who have been already on the job for a long time.
Becoming a nurse in the Philippines
According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) data, more than 25,000 board takers swore their oath as newly licensed nurses after passing the November 2023 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination.
Among the Cebuano nurses is Kristine, who immediately grabbed the opportunity to serve as a nurse after taking her oath as a health care professional.
Working as a ward nurse in a private hospital, Kristine disclosed that being a nurse was not an early choice for her, but it certainly is a path she did not regret taking.
Being able to touch the lives of those in most need of it and being the one that connects the different areas of care in the hospital are just some of the aspects of it.
“As for me, in this stage of my life, being a staff nurse in the hospital is the conscious choice,” she shared.
Meanwhile, another newly licensed Cebuano nurse, Nicole Uriel Tabuco, took a slightly different track and chose to work as a hotel nurse. Even amid the draining nature of her job, she finds passion in the appreciation of her patients.
As someone who is starting her nursing career in the hotel environment, I appreciate this job more as I always get the fleeting feeling from every guest’s genuine smiles and ‘thank yous’ after being taken care of.
She disclosed as she details how it fulfills her dream of becoming a vital part of the lives of every patient and significant other
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Probing the Cebuano nurses’ future career plans
When asked about the future of their careers as nurses, they remain candid with their responses.
Kristine honestly said that after gaining enough experience serving her fellow Filipinos in the Philippines, she is considering looking for overseas opportunities.
Truth be told, the salary of nurses, where in hospitals or in other industries, cannot provide for the needs of a medium-sized family, no matter how some people in the government claim it to be so.
Renting a two-bedroom house that is smaller than the size of a modern classroom, Kristine disclosed that her and her father’s salary combined can barely cover their expenses as a family of five: “It’s tiring to survive from paycheck to paycheck which is why I will search for greener pastures, to at least give a comfortable life to my family without needing to take on loans to compensate for the lack of money.”
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A nursing topnotcher’s future plans
This potential plan to bring their nursing service abroad is not isolated among nurses like Kristine. In fact, Alyssa Nicole Buhay, who made the remarkable feat of placing 9th in their licensure examination, shares the same sentiments.
Realistically speaking, Filipino nurses have been continuously undervalued and the pay does not equate to the daily effort that nurses exert and this is why I plan on serving the Filipino people…..abroad.
Looking back, Buhay shared that nursing was not her first choice, but as she started studying for it as a degree in college, she could create tangible impacts on people’s lives and, in turn, fulfill the frustrated dream of her grandmother if she pursued nursing as a career.
Currently, the Cebuano nurse is working at a review center where she rationalizes mock board exams, and she finds it fulfilling to teach future nurses. However, she plans to work as a nurse in a hospital in Cebu soon and eventually go abroad in the long run to look for better opportunities.
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Becoming an overseas working nurse
The migration of Filipino nurses is a longstanding labor problem facing the country.
According to the Department of Health data, 51% of licensed nurses, or around 316,00 of their population, have migrated overseas to seek better opportunities as of 2021. In recent years, there is little to no doubt that such a number might have increased.
Some popular destinations for migrating nurses include the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
When asked whether he had doubts about his decision to travel overseas, Jojo Judilla, a 58-year-old nurse working in the United States for 28 years, said he did not regret anything.
Cebuano Jojo Judilla (left most) at work in a hospital in New York, USA. | contributed photo
It was not initially Judilla’s choice to take nursing as a career. In fact, it was her mom’s dream for him to become a nurse and seek work in the United States.
Fortunately, he fulfilled her mother’s dream after five years of college with a brief time in nautical school, a certain point where he took up BS Biology, and a two-year stint as a clinical instructor.
Even though the dream was not his to begin with, Judilla is happy because, aside from the pay, he gets to help other people.
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Coming back to the Philippines
It is easy to ask these nurses to stay and serve the country’s healthcare institutions. But, when asked if she would, Kristine said that despite opportunities abroad, she is not planning to stay there for good.
After serving her tenure abroad, she wants to return to the Philippines and spend the rest of her time with Filipinos. If not for the high demand for nurses and better opportunities overseas, she would not have thought twice about staying in the country.
At the end of the day, my homeland is where I want to be. After fulfilling responsibilities to myself and my family, I would also like to return and serve my country with the knowledge and skills I have gained abroad as a nurse.
Marked by the duty to serve, our young nurses carry the same passion for providing care to those in need as Nightingale herself started. However, such care may be brought elsewhere if their needs aren’t met. That is with the current salary and conditions of nurses in the country.
As we celebrate International Nurses Day, it is about time for Filipino nurses to receive the care they are used to giving. That starts whenever their demands are heeded and considered.
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