Reader: No shortage of nurses; many nurses out of work

NOT TRUE. A reader commented on the public perception that there is shortage of nurses in the Philippines. The reader, a registered nurse, said that it’s not true that there is shortage of nurses in the Philippines, citing the latest figure of 94,462 nursing graduates who took the nurses’ licensure examination November 2009, of which 37,527 passed. She said, “Kinsay nag-ingon nga naay shortage? Walay brain drain. Pwerte man gani daghanang registered nurses nga walay trabaho.”

TOO MANY. In fact, the reader said, there are too many nurses who were forced to look for other non-nursing jobs since they can’t work in hospitals. She also cited the US retrogression of nurses and the long waiting list of hospitals hiring nurses. She added, “Wala na man gani nag-hire og new nurses ang mga hospitals diri kay daghan kaayo mag-volunteer. Ga-bayad pa man gani ang mga nurse volunteers sa hospital para lang maka-volunteer.”