Top 5 Survival Tips for the Fledgling Nurse

Let’s start by not sugarcoating the fact that in the Philippines nowadays, Nursing is not the easiest ticket to financial success. Gone are the days when nurses flock nursing schools to get a diploma, work in local hospitals to gain few years of experience, and then get an overseas employment as easy as 1,2,3. Many things have changed over the years in the local nursing industry and unfortunately, international demands and restrictions for Filipino nurses have drastically changed as well. For this reason, it is not uncommon to hear these days stories voicing out the plight of our very own registered nurses. But what should we do when even lobbying for laws and policies in favor of our nurses is not enough to lift them up from their present situation? Do we always have to blame the government and our parents for this phenomenon that has gripped the nursing profession? If you are a real nurse, you should know how to apply first aid on your present predicament and follow these tip-top tips (N.U.R.S.E.) on how to survive Nursing during these trying times:

• Never give up.

 Having a resilient attitude is a must to survive this season of job-hunting. If you failed to get an RNHeals slot, a plantilla position, or even just a chance to work as a volunteer nurse, so be it. Give yourself enough time to recover and get ready for another series of job search. Submit your curriculum vitae to as many hospitals as possible and avoid trimming down your alternatives to a limited number of  ”preferred hospitals”. Remember, this is not the best time to be “choosy” or force yourself to specialize on a nursing field when you doesn’t even have a general ward experience yet. Don’t quit especially when you face a lot of setbacks. Who knows? Yours might be another nursing success story in the making. So cheer up! Besides, you’re not the only one struggling to get a job. If you really want to be a nurse and have the heart to survive it, then go for the gold. And do you know how to get your dream job? JUST DON’T GIVE UP.

• Use your contacts.

You’re done having that “student-nurse” and “board examinee” status so don’t bring your friends with you when  you apply for a nursing job as much as possible. Believe it or not, your independence in the profession starts as early as the job-hunting period. Build a lot of contacts by opening your lines of communication to a lot of nurses you meet each day. They can be a stranger you meet while you’re applying for your nursing license inside the PRC, a co-trainee during your IVT or BLS training, or just a simple nurse you happen to bump in while exploring the Facebook world. Don’t forget to exchange numbers and build friendships with them. They might be holding the key for a rare nursing opportunity so update each other every once in a while.

• Resume-building.

How can you have an edge and be above the other 300,000+ unemployed or underemployed nurses in the country? Simple: Polish your resume. But remember, you can’t build a solid foundation from nothing; a good nursing resume can be developed not by staying at home the whole day doing nothing but updating your nursing skills and knowledge through relevant trainings and seminars. No one is excuse for this requirement because Nursing is a profession that evolves continuously and develops modern advancements  you can only learn by signing-up to these “continuing professional education” programs. Some are budget-friendly and some are too expensive for those RNs with a tight budget. But remember, nursing is an intricate profession and you have to establish a very good investment for you to flourish in this life-long career.

• See other possible options and be open to them.

Let’s admit it. We have an overflowing number of nurses and the budget cuts made by the government for the health sector only intensifies our hospitals’ inability to accommodate all registered nurses in the country. But that is not something we have to fret about because nurses, as they say, are resourceful in and outside the hospital setting. If hospitals are temporarily closing its doors to nurses, one can try to utilize their geriatric and pediatric skills in home care institutions, participate in various medical/dental missions, or apply their nursing knowledge while working as review assistants or national reviewers in numerous nursing review centers. In addition to that, nurses can be entreprenurse and establish their own businesses or work as call center agents in BPO companies offering medical or health care accounts especially made to cater licensed nurses. Your career as a nurse can still be rewarding if you know how to think outside the box and not just limit yourself by just being a “hospital nurse”. You can also attend various job fairs or career fest to discover a world of unlimited opportunities like the annual PNOCE or Philippine Nursing Opportunities, Conference, Expo, and Job Fair (http://www.philnursingexpo.com/) held every last quarter of the year in different parts of the country. The government, with the cooperation of DOH and DOLE, also offers all nurses an alternative to gain relevant nursing experience through RNHeals, which will open again its doors for the third batch of applications early next year. Also, don’t forget to use the world wide web to find job opportunities here and abroad. You can use the following websites to find nursing-related  jobs and create a personalized online resume:

http://www.workabroad.ph/

http://www.jobopenings.ph/

http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/

This is not the best time to be closed-minded and pessimistic. It’s easy to find a job, all you need is an ounce of perseverance and the willingness to help yourself.

• Encourage one another.

Don’t be too consumed and affected by discouraging articles and news telling you that Nursing is not a rewarding profession anymore. It might not give you the power to buy a Porsche car during the early years of your career but remember, Nursing is not all about financial rewards in the first place. It might be helpful to update yourself with facts surrounding the nursing profession but not every thing you hear or see is worth your time. Filipino nurses should not just share news or stories about how bitter they are as a nurse but also encourage one another through inspirational stories and bravely sharing the reality that this too shall pass. People who hates and discriminates nurses are more than enough to bring our nurses’ spirits down, so why add more to the insult? Nurses are the only people who can understand the struggles and fulfillment of other nurses. We have our own little world thrived by nurses and fueled by our own subculture that only nurses can understand. Love one another. Help one another. Inspire one another. That is what we call the “nursing spirit”.

Thums Up for Red Cross!

To tell you that both the Basic Life Support (BLS) and Standard First Aid trainings of the Philippine National Red Cross – Valenzuela Chapter are exceptional is an understatement. What I got was more than what I bargained for: character development and essential skills beyond compare. I was able to reserve a slot a week ago after seeing the announcement they made on their Facebook page. I had some second thoughts before because for me to get these trainings, I had to cancel my IVT completion duty schedule at Sta. Monica Hospital. But after surviving the 5 days (they made it shorter for us) of physically demanding training, I can’t find a perfect word to describe  how fulfilling and satisfying it is to be trained inside this institution. This is a ‘must’ not just for nurses eyeing an employment at our local hospitals but also to any one, regardless of their profession, who wants to be proactive and active citizens of our country. The program included 2 days of Basic Life Support (BLS) and 3 days of Standard First Aid . Both consist of classroom discussion of essential concepts backed up with skills demonstration for a complete mastery. I thought it was just a piece of cake, but I was proven wrong after I learned that we had to pass a series of examinations (written and practical) before we can actually get the certificates and be certified BLS and First Aid providers. It may seem so easy for some but for a couch potato like me, it’s a Herculean task that eventually took its toll on me during the last 2 days of our training. I was literally about to pass out after the backbreaking and exhausting CPR and Rescue Breath practicals that during the third day, I suffered from flu coupled with an excruciating sore throat. I almost quit but it’s the 1, 120 pesos of non-refundable training fee that I had in mind during those times (malaking pera din yun ah). Anyways, I took my medicine and was able to push through to the last day of our Red Cross training, during which we performed return-demos of bandaging and transferring and also the simulation for a mass casualty incident where we applied our “triage” skills. After the culminating point of the training, we finally received our hard-earned certificates during a mini-graduation, which, I can say, is one of the consolations I got after all what I’ve been through. The instructors are really competent (especially Mr. Ranee Look, who is so cute by the way..wink!wink!) and fully equipped of the knowledge and experience needed to teach us the basics so it was a great learning experience. In addition to that, I have gained additional friends in Facebook and learned the true value of cooperation, unity, teamwork, and professionalism. We were also encouraged to donate blood for a good cause. A lot of patients are in need of blood and PNRC provides a cheaper alternative. But since I was taking meds that time, saying “I will donate next time” would not be bad because Red Cross made me more willing to share a part of me to other people in need, be it in form of blood or first aid assistance. I’m glad that I’m now a certified PNRC member and looking forward in taking part in any of their programs. This is not just another training; It’s a training to SAVE LIVES and having the skills, knowledge, and attitude to be a genuine Red Cross member.  Thumbs up, PNRC!

IVT Training: No Pain, No Gain

Intravenous Therapy (IVT) Training has been part of a newly registered nurse’s list of essential training requirements since 1993. It’s a prerequisite before a nurse can actually get full-time employment or training from any local hospital. And because I’m still waiting in the balance for a job not yet confirmed, I signed up for a 4,000 worth of ANSAP-accredited IVT training (inclusive of the 3-day basic IVT training, 2-day completion duty, 1-day additional phlebotomy training, and the food during the training). I was shocked when I learned that the said training program would be held at hospitals located in Marikina and totally far from my place of residence. The fee was non-refundable so I have no choice but to withstand the backbreaking journey to these hospitals. For those of you who are wondering how on earth did I end up in Marikina, blame it on CHEERS. Although the phlebotomy training was a good bargain from CHEERS training centre, I never thought that they would refer us to a hospital which worked for my own disadvantage (from Bocaue, Bulacan to Marikina yun, kamusta naman di ba?!!).On the other hand, the three days I have spent in the training has been fulfilling and educational, so far. Plus, I will not be wasting my time waiting for the December 2011 IVT Trainings in certain hospitals. I’m glad that I have passed the 3-day basic IVT training. Although I haven’t heard of anyone who failed the training, it feels so good that I’m slowly gaining confidence performing IVT insertions and all the basic skills included on the program. I’m now endorsed for the 2-day completion duty on November 9-10 at another Marikina hospital which is the sister hospital of the previous one where our basic IVT training was held. I’m doing responsible journalism here so please bear with me if I’m not disclosing any hospital names.

IVT Training DAY 1: Hot and Boring!!!!

The venue was held at the 8th floor of the new building so I had to climb stairs and ride the elevator to get there. First impression was almost good; the place made me feel like I’m on a wedding reception or something except for the dysfunctional air-conditioner who turned the rest of the day a total struggle to escape from the sweltering heat. In addition to that, the program started so late and the food they served during the entire training was not that satisfying at all. We had some basic discussions about history of IVT, ANSAP, Anatomy, Drug Computations, BT, TPN, and the likes. These are boring topics but I managed to survive it by listening attentively and pretending that the air-con is working. We also took the pre-test and because I did my reading assignments beforehand, I thought I fared well.

Just a simple tip: do your part and read the basics in advance like the veins and arteries of the arms and hands, TPN, blood transfusion, the golden rules of drug administration, and other basic infos about the IVT.

For IVT General Information, go to this link:

http://ivthub.blogspot.com/2008/09/faq-on-ivt-training.html

For Basic IVT Procedures (which will help you for the practical exam or return demonstration on the 3rd day), go to this link:

http://ivthub.blogspot.com/

IVT Training DAY 2: Skills Demo….

I didn’t know what was wrong with the air-con but we were once again deprived of cool atmosphere during the second day. One of the preceptors told us that they are still fixing it and even reminded us that nurses are usually patient and tolerant so we have no choice but to continue learning while sweating (kamusta naman yun?!). We spent the first half of the day discussing the topics we missed during the previous day and another half by learning the 12 basic IVT Procedures as they were demonstrated one by one by our preceptors. These are the same procedures we were asked to perform during the last day to test our skills and knowledge. We also had our post-test which was totally the same with our pre-test so I thought that it was done for formality’s sake.

IVT Training DAY 3: The Painful Finale…

We were asked to come as early as 6:00 AM wearing our scrub suits and white uniforms. The program started early perhaps because Mrs. Elsa Castro, one of the big names of ANSAP, was there or the preceptors all want the event to be completed the earliest time possible. We were asked to perform the 12 basic IVT procedures one by one in front of a preceptor assigned to a specific procedure. It was nerve-wracking at first but I was able to complete all the 12 skills with few instances of memory lapses and stuttering. After completing the checklists for the 12 procedures, we were asked to find our partner for the one-on-one IVT insertion, the “culminating event” of the training. Michelle, who was my partner during the phlebotomy training, was my victim for the second time around. She struggled a bit to puncture my vein but eventually got the technique. On the other hand, I was able to find her metacarpal vein and got an early backflow but I was very confused on what part of the catheter should I retract. I forgot that it’s the needle that I should retract so I ended up opening the needle cap and blood just flowed freely from my hands. I panicked for a while especially when my preceptor seemed to turn mad at me for doing something stupid but I was able to get the whole point easily and troubleshoot the problem with poise. It was a bit frustrating but experience is the best teacher. I’m excited for exposing myself more on hospital settings and hone my IVT skills.

The training experience was not perfect for me but it’s the learning experience that I have got that will matter at the end of the day. It’s more than needle pricking because you will learn and discover a lot from your colleagues, from the preceptors, and from yourself as well. It was challenging and fulfilling at the same time to know that I’m few steps away from starting my exciting nursing career. – Nars A. Ko

One Gory Thursday

Blood, blood, and blood………………

My nursing journey officially starts today. And what do y’all think is the perfect way to start fresh in the nursing field? Nothing but a day fully packed with needle pricks and blood stains. This morning, I went straight to CHEERS (Community Health Education Emergency Rescue Services) office, located along Quezon Ave., to attend a brief training session about blood collection or what we nurses know as phlebotomy. Actually, I signed up to CHEERS for my IVT Training and this one-day phlebotomy training is part of the whole package. The IVT Training costs 4,000 pesos but I have considered it as very good bargain because it is inclusive of the phlebotomy training (which you won’t find in any other training centers or hospitals), the 5 day-IVT Training (3 days of didactic and skills demo , 2 days of completion duty to be scheduled),  the snacks/lunch meals that you will eat throughout the whole training, and the processing fees for the ANSAP IVT license. In addition to these, the IVT Training will be conducted by ANSAP preceptors themselves inside ANSAP-accredited hospitals so I’m very sure I’m in very good hands. The hospitals where we will be assigned during the main IVT Training are the only problem I got because St. Vincent Hospital and Sta. Monica Hospital are both located around Marikina, which is obviously, not a stone’s throw away from Bulacan. I’m in no way trying to promote CHEERS because I made the decision purely because I want to bypass the need to make reservations to certain well-known hospitals where slots for the IVT training fill up almost faster than the speed of light. I’m just bored and tired of waiting, that’s all.

The training went smoothly from a short discussion and actual blood collection. We had to find our own partners for the hands-on experience. Luckily, I was able to pick Michelle (batch 2011 as well) as my partner perhaps because she was my seat mate and approachable just like me. When it was our turn to prick and traumatize each other’s veins, I found out just how lucky she was for having my fat,  palpable vein and how miserable I turned out to be after learning that my needle had to play hide-and-seek to catch her feeble veins. Luckily, after two attempts (one traumatizing prick for each of her arm) and assistance from our trainor, I finally managed to find the right target and get the amount of blood required. I learned a lot of tips and strategies from this experience so I’m confident that through constant exposure and practice, I will gain the confidence of a certified phlebotomist and IV therapist. How to overcome the tremors? Just be confident and practice relentlessly. After all, you can overcome performance anxiety by focusing on what you do and not on other people watching what you do. After a bloody 5 hours of exposure, we were given our certificates of attendance and informed about the details for the IVT training (which will start on Saturday at St. Vincent).

RNHeals Application………….

1. San Lazaro Hospital, Quiricada St., Sta. Cruz, Manila

After the bloody encounter, I travelled straight from Balintawak to Tayuman station of LRT-1 to submit my requirements for the RNHeals program at San Lazaro. I’m not at all hopeful for this one because in addition to the fact that some of the HR employees are not even aware that the said program exists in the hospital when I came there Monday to inquire, one HR guy told me this afternoon that they’re not sure if we will be called because it is just for ‘pooling’ purposes, meaning they will just collect applications until they are notified as to when the program will officially start.

For those who are interested for the RNHeals program, DOH main office (the one beside Jose Reyes) has been officially closed for applications and will resume it by January next year (probably mid-January). And don’t even bother to try JRMMC because  I’ve been there already and was told by a chief nurse that they already have nurses under the program taking the exam and that they don’t know when they will resume hiring. If you want to leave your resume like me, then it’s up to you. But don’t expect a call from them considering that they already have  hundreds of applications in store.

For San Lazaro Hospital, here are the requirements:

 PRC ID, Board Rating, Board Certificate/Certificate of Passing, TOR, Diploma, Certificates of trainings and seminars, Resume, and Application letter addresses to Dr. WINSTON GO (Medical Center Chief II). Just enclose these requirements in a long brown envelope and submit it to the HR department located at the second floor.

2. Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital , Lope de Vega, Sta. Cruz, Manila

After submitting my requirements at San Lazaro, I spent almost 40 pesos of tricycle fare to get to Fabella only to learn that they will resume their hiring for the third batch of RNHeals applicants by November 28. They didn’t accept my requirements but the HR girl was very nice to me. Well, I have no choice but to go back on the specified date and prepare for the exam, which, according to her, will be their basis for selection of qualified nurses. For those who are interested, please bring original (for verification purposes only) and photocopies of the following documents: Board Certificate/Certificate of passing, PRC ID, Resume, Application letter addressed to Dr. RUBEN C. FLORES (Medical Center Chief II), Board Rating, TOR, College Diploma, Certificates of trainings and seminars, 2 copies of latest picture (white background, formal attire, passport sized), Birth Certificate (must be 18 to 35 years old) and/or Marriage Certificate (if married). Submit these requirements to the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer and Human Resource Division from November 28 up to December 2, 2011 (3rd batch).

And for registered nurses who are interested to apply at NCMH, I just received a Facebook notification just recently and I want to share it with you:

DOH RN HEALS Program already started. Hiring is open to a number of DOH hospitals including NCMH. Those interested to apply at NCMH, please prepare an application letter address to Bernardino A. Vicente, MD, FPPA, MHA, CESO IV Medical Center Chief II, National Center for Mental Health Thru Lucila O. espinosa, RN, MAN . Bring resume’ w/ picture, autobiography, board rating, PRC cert, PRC license, BSN diploma. Transcript of record, training & employment cert if available, NBI Clearance,& authenticated NSO Birth cert. prepare 2 sets of these requirements & 2×2 pic. Proceed to Nursing Service Ofc & be prepared to take an exam & interview. Come in business attire. goodluck nurses!!! (to my former students, this is a good opportunity, give it a try. limited slots only.) LOOK for Mr. Louie Marigmen for assistance. Pasted from <http://www.facebook.com/groups/118126851551661/>

I will try to post it here if ever I do hospital trek again next time for this RNHeals program. I hope my efforts will pay off eventually. After all, we’ll never know what’s in store for us in the future. No harm in trying so continue to try, try, and try. And while we nurses are waiting, let’s keep our prayers powerful and continue to train, learn, and build networks. Godspeed fellow dreamers!-Nars A. Ko