Filipino Nursing Herald

The proposed 61,000 visas for Schedule A workers in the US is caught in the middle of maelstorm involving Democrat lawmakers and President Bush. Read the latest news from the Washington Post about the state of US appropriation bills, one of which includes the proposed new visas for foreign nurses.

This post was initially intended as an answer to a question posted by one of my visitors, but I've decided to make it an entirely new blog entry so that others may also read it. I often encounter a lot of people who get confused about the entire US nursing application process. Although there are many resources on the Internet that provide information on this, I guess many still get lost and don't know where to look. Others, perhaps, look for a crystal ball that can provide answers in a jiffy without making them sweat even just a little when searching. Still, questions need to be answered, regardless if you belong to the first or the second, so I hope this satisfies those who are looking for information. Most of what I'll explain here was already discussed in previous posts, particularly in the NCLEX series of articles. Part 1 of the series is at the end of this link . To be able to work as a nurse in the US, you must have the following: 1. US Nurse license 2. US Visa that a...

We've written before that President Bush has threatened to veto the appropriations bill where the proposal to recapture 61,000 visas for nurses & PTs is attached. To understand why the White House and the US Congress is at a standoff on this issue, go through some of the statements released by Sen. Robert Byrd, chairman of the Senate Appropriations committee, to learn some history about the matter. Read this statement to start your research.

Here's a link to the full text of Amendment 3449 as submitted to the US Senate. Full text of Amendment 3449.

On Tuesday, the US Senate approved by unanimous voice vote to include Amendment 3449 to the budget appropriations bill of the Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education. Amendment 3449, introduced by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, seeks to give 61,000 visas for nurses, physical therapists and their immediate families. Nurses and PTs are part of the Schedule A classification, which states that these occupations are shortage jobs in the US. The approval of the amendment in the Senate is a major victory. The Senate was recently the battleground for the controversial immigration reform bill which was voted down. The appropriations bill will now face a Senate-House conference for the final phase of the legislative process in Congress. If the bill gets through, it will be submitted to President Bush for final review and approval. At both levels, the bill faces very tough challenges. If the bill makes it past the joint conference, the President could still veto the bill ...

The US Senate approved a proposal to attach the Bridge amendment to the Labor Health and Human Services appropriations bill. The amendment would open up as much as 61,000 visas for nurses and their immediate families. This is very good news indeed. There is still a long way to go, but this is a major step forward for all foreign nurses. There is a threat that President Bush might veto this bill if it passes the conference. Bush' displeasure with the bill is not directed against the bridge amendment, instead his attention is focused on other provisions of the bill, particularly with regard to the size of the proposed budget under the bill. Read the full story from Hammond Law's blog .

Over the past week, two amendments were offered in the US Senate that would recapture unused visas for Schedule A applicants, particularly foreign nurses, and their families. Hammond Law Group, in its Web site , said these amendments could be tackled as early as this week. The first amendment seeks to recapture 61,000 unused visa. This amendment is being attached to the Labor Health and Human Services appropriations bill co-sponsored by Sen. Schumer and Sen. Hutchison. The second amendment seeks to recapture visas not just for Schedule A workers and their family members but also for other Employment-based visa applicants. We hope these amendments get approval and their parent bills later being signed into law.

It seems all is quiet in the frontlines of the US immigration struggle. After the failed push to reform US imigration policies earlier this year, talks of new immigration bills have been relegated to the sidelines and talked about in hushed tones. There is simply too much drama associated with immigration in the US that any debate on the matter sets off fireworks. Despite this, we're all hoping proposals to give more freedom for foreign nurses to enter the US would still be moving forward. Advocates for the nurses' cause are expecting things to inch forward by November until early next year. We're hoping Congress will look at this issue more favorably and then let's pray for the US Senate to follow suit. But until then, let's all be patient. Now is the perfect time to get your own papers ready; now is the time to hone your skills and add weight to your stock. So that when the road opens up again, you'll be all set.

Filipino nurses who are already in the US, might be interested to visit these scheduled career fairs organized by Nursing Spectrum . Although retrogression is still in effect, it won't hurt to meet possible employers when the visa restrictions are resolved: Upcoming Career Fairs for 2007 October October 18 Oakland, CA October 23 Las Vegas, NV October 24 Baltimore, MD October 24 Tinley Park, IL October 26 Edison, NJ November November 6 Dallas, TX November 8 Ft. Lauderdale, FL November 13 Seattle, WA November 13 San Diego, CA

Here's a sad case of a Filipino nurse who was suspended from the hospital he worked for in the U.K. Based on the charges brought against him, it was said he "lacked competence" both in his nursing skills and his English communication skills. I feel sorry for this man and I hope we all get some lessons from his experience. I know a lot of people who've taken up nursing so that they can take advantage of the many opportunities for nurses in other countries, but before you set out for greener pastures, I urge you to try to keep the high standards that Filipino nurses have been known for. Assess yourself, see where you're weak at, and seek ways of improving your skills. Try to get some hospital experience, even if some employers don't require you to get one. There are good training programs out there. If that doesn't work out, do some volunteer work; a couple of these volunteer programs are very good. Do this for yourself so that you'll be more confident ...

A couple of hospitals in Manila offer nurse volunteer programs. Some collect a small fee, some allow you to volunteer for free. St. Jude Hospital & Medical Center in Dimasalang St. (Just after UST Hospital and Infant Jesus Hospital) offers a good program for new nurses. There's a small fee of 2,000/month but they will give you a certificate at the end of your program. East Avenue Medical Center offers a free volunteer program for new nurses. Registration is conducted every Wednesday. Just bring all your credentials with photocopies. As with any training programs, you have to be aggressive and try to do as much as you can to learn. Be perceptive and don't be afraid to ask staff nurses or even the doctors so that you'll learn a lot.

Here's a shoutout for my good friend, Joey A. of the Inquirer. Thanks for featuring The Filipino Nursing Herald in Blog Addicts . Check out Joey's own Babel Machine blog .

Here's a useful technique I learned from an English teacher that you can use for your own English exam. This can be used either when taking the Writing or Speaking modules in TOEFL iBT or IELTS. When being asked your opinion on any subject matter, you can use a simple formula. For example, if you were asked: "What are your favorite tourist destinations in Manila?" You can answer this by using a formula: General statement + List + Explanation of each subject on list + summary. To apply this formula,this is how I would answer the question: (1) Manila is a beautiful city with many tourist attractions. (2)Among these attractions, my favorites are Luneta Park, Intramuros, and Manila Bay. (3)I like Luneta Park because I can just sit down on the grass and relax and enjoy a picnic. (4) I like Intramuros because I can look at many historical artifacts displayed there and get to see different products from the provinces that are being sold at a fair inside Intramuros. (5) Lastly, M...

I get asked a lot about what English exam is best to take when applying for a license in the US. People who read my blog know that I took the TOEFL iBT for my own licensure application but most people I know take the IELTS. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is administered by ETS, a private nonprofit organization that develops and administers tests for educational measurement and research. The TOEFL and its latest product, the TOEFL iBT, was primarily developed to test English skills of foreign nationals to see if they would be able to communicate effectively in an academic setting in the US. That's why the content of the test simulates situations on campus that potential students would like encounter. On the other hand, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, British Council and IDP Education Australia. Unlike TOEFL which is geared primarily for an academic setting, IELTS offers ...