The growing numbers of Filipino families that has one or more of its members that are new nurses or is taking up nursing has suddenly taken aback with the reality of achieving the great American Dream. Yes, we know all the crappy things that a novice nurse must go through before taking the very first step in becoming an actual and performing USRN. The backlog or “retrogression” in the US Immigration is the one that is believed that kills these young pinoy nurses to achieve this ambition. It creates this predicament – I would rather work now (probably in a call center) than spend more money, be a US licensed and end up waiting for the next 5 years in queue.
True, only about 20% of my nursing friends have taken and passed the NCLEX-RN exam and only 2 of them has priority dates. To rekindle that desire, the one that most of our parents felt about 5 or 6 years ago when they believed that nursing will save every pinoy household from poverty, let me show how much the current US nurses are earning now.
Looking at this USRN salary table, if I will start working in the states today, I would be earning PHP 7,840.oo per day or PHP 156,816.00 per month with an average 40 hours work per week. So this amount I believe does not include the income beyond 40 hours, overtime and night differential benefits, and other income should I want to do part-time job.
After 20 years of experience, based on this table I would be earning PHP 221,616.00 per month in 40 hours work per week. I know, looking at these figures will surely makes us smile. The average salary in a private hospital here in Manila is around PHP 11,000.00 per month with more than 40 hours work per week.
So now we may know why our parents strongly imposed to us to take this career path. Not primarily because of the money alone, but of course there’s more stability of future and more chance of achieving the much coveted American Dream.
