Elsewhere In the World, Philippine Nurses Continue to Shine

“This might be a bold claim but there is great reason to believe that
Filipino nurses are the most sought-after healthcare professionals in
the world”

The Philippines has a reputation for exporting nurses to address staffing shortages
in other countries. According to recent reports, Filipino nurses continue to be highly sought-after
healthcare professionals worldwide. They are well-known for their versatility and flexibility in a
variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, long-term care homes, and community health
clinics. Furthermore, they are highly sought after in many nations due to their cultural sensitivity
and ability to interact with varied patient populations.
They are adored by both patients and employers not only for their proficiency in the
English language, their competencies, and their work ethic but also for the Filipino brand of
nursing service, which frequently goes the "extra mile" in compassionately caring for their
patients, particularly those nearing the end of their lives. They provide their patients with
excellent attention and comfort.
Elsewhere in the world, Filipino nurses continue to excel, providing patients with not just
the essential medical care they require, but also a part of themselves in the form of compassion,
solace, and care. The government supports this practice and has even strengthened the
deployment of Filipino nurses overseas to boost the national economy through remittances from
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).
The nursing academic system in the Philippines is Westernized, making Filipino nurses
highly skilled in providing objective care regardless of ethnicity, culture, or gender. Motivated
by higher salaries, better living conditions, and opportunities to expand their education and skills,
nurses in source countries often migrate to industrialized nations where they can achieve these
goals. However, underfunded healthcare systems, limited opportunities for career advancement,
inflexible hours and overtime, insufficient supplies and technology, low wages, and economic
uncertainty in their home countries are also factors that encourage nurses to emigrate despite
domestic healthcare demands.
Nurses will not be motivated to stay if their economic security remains meager. Who
wouldn't be enticed by the prospect of living in other countries and having a better life? The
continued migration of Filipino medical personnel, particularly doctors and nurses, poses a threat
to the Philippine healthcare system as they can only watch helplessly flee unless the Department
of Health offers comparable options.
Filipino nurses play a significant role in global health. I believe it is completely unfair to
label Filipino nurses who choose to work abroad as ungrateful or unpatriotic. If comparable
opportunities could only be made available to them here, I am sure they would not leave their
home. With costs of living rising disproportionately with work pay and incentives, we cannot
blame the likes of Filipino nurses seeking broader and brighter horizons.
 Recognizing Filipino nurse's outstanding contributions to the Philippine healthcare system
may not be enough. Until these professionals can see a brighter glimmer of hope in their home
nation, they will continue to sacrifice time away from their families to provide better possibilities
for their loved ones.
Elsewhere in the world, Filipino nurses will continue to shine because there is a great
reason to believe that Filipino nurses are the most sought-after healthcare professionals in the
world.
Citation & References:
Ballad, C. A. (2016). Understanding the Imperatives of Acculturation and Job Satisfaction
Among Filipino Nurses in the Sultanate of Oman. International Education and Research
Journal, 2(5).
Aiken, L. H., Buchan, J., Sochalski, J., Nichols, B., & Powell, M. (2004). Trends in international
nurse migration. Health affairs, 23(3), 69-77.
Connell, J. (2014). The two cultures of health worker migration: a Pacific perspective. Social
Science & Medicine, 116, 73-81.
Sen. Tolentino F. (2023, July 13). Caring for Filipino nurses. MANILA BULLETIN.
https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/12/article-724

Babate, J., Catiwa J., Montayre J. (2023, May 17). Filipino nurses play a significant role in
global health. INQUIRER.NET. https://opinion.inquirer.net/163187/filipino-nurses-play-a-
significant-role-in-global-health

Philippine Daily Inquirer. (2021, October 31). Exodus of nurses. INQUIRER.NET.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/145832/exodus-of-nurses