Education, empowerment, and building credibility – pt 2

SPEAKERS

Marvin, Tanya, Gene, Ryan

 

00:00

This is nursing in America. Each week we speak with incredible Filipino nurses who have taken the leap to start a new life in the United States. If you're thinking about doing the same, then this is the place you'll find all the insider knowledge and inspirational success stories to realize your own American dream. This is the second part of a two part episode. So make sure you go back and listen to Part one first.

 

Marvin  00:34

I remember one incident when I was a clinical instructor in one of the emergency departments. So I was telling this doctor like, "Doc, can you please check on your orders? Because it seems that something might not be correct." But you know, the answer that I got from that doctor, who's a doctor here, by the way, I said I don't. I'm just here to, and then later on, it injured the patient. Then, they were trying to whitewash and then they did an investigation. I don't know what happened next. Because like that the patient went to the floor. But here is why the I said, you need to equip yourself with knowledge. I mean, learning is a continuous process. So when I was here in the US, I started to be inspired with some of my educators. I'm thinking 'wow, their brains are so big that they can actually absorb all the information.' Also 'what's their expertise?' So I learned the importance and significance of all sorts of certifications. So I tried to do my first certification, and then five certifications after. I didn't realize now, it's not just like putting those credentials behind your name. It is it is reassuring your patient that you are providing the best care possible, and for the best outcome. And then again, we're not competing here with the doctors, because right now I am here in a teaching facility is a university facility. So we have residents, so it's it's learning and sharing of ideas. It's not competing with each other. So if if there are things that needs to be corrected, it should be in close to communication and all those stuff. We are there as a team treating the patient for maximum or better outcome. So I have to agree with sir Ryan that experience, like relived in me, especially when that stare when the doctor said, 'who said doctor here anyway?' And in the doctor said, "you are a clinical instructor only." I said, "okay."

 

02:31

So,

 

Marvin  02:32

yeah. Yeah.

 

Tanya  02:34

I think the message that's coming across clearly, clearly is the word team. Here, everybody is working as a team to find the best clinical outcomes for the patient. One of the nurses that I was talking to last week, she was newly arrived in the US. And she said to me, "when you come to the US, you have to bring your A game." Yes. I was like, Yes, that kind of like sums it up. Because not only is it the knowledge, but it's also the confidence to share that with the rest of the team, the doctors, the other nurses that you working with, etc.

 

Marvin  03:09

Agree.

 

Tanya  03:10

We are we are out of time. And we haven't even gone through all of our questions. I'm just going to carry on for a little bit because I know that Brian and Marvin and Jean have a lot to share. So the next question I'm just going to carry on for a little longer because I know that everybody's really enjoying this talk and, and I think it's just so worthwhile. And Brian and Marvin if you want to maybe share when you came to the US, obviously It was, you know, arriving here is very exciting as you put your feet down on that ground on the tarmac. You get off the plane and you arrive is just one of the best days and I know, Gene, you can so relate to that. I remember that day well. What would you say is the biggest challenges that you experienced when you came here? And how did you overcome it? Marvin, if you want to go first. Okay, so, um,

 

Marvin  05:30

the biggest challenges that I experienced when I came here is, oh, there's a lot to be honest. So I think number one is to drive. I got notes, it's because I'm trying to explain it. So the first one is driving. I don't usually drive in the Philippines because I love to commute. And also in the Middle East, our accommodation is like one block away to the hospital. So driving was a challenge for me. So good thing that the Filipino community in that particular area taught us how to drive. So some of them were like review or so. And then they taught us like the process of getting the license, how to ace your exam, and also the practical driving - thank God - and also by the time I had an accident, they were there for me.  Second challenge that I really didn't understand initially was taxes. So I don't know why is there a price when you go to the to the teller? Why is it being added with a certain price? And why is the state different from a different one? So those things, I mean, thank God, we have nurses from the area who are now working as an accountant explained everything to us. And also the last important thing that I think one of the challenges is legalities. Always, always, always document everything. So before in the Philippines,  I just assume everything, I write it in a beautiful statement and all that. But here, to be honest with you, I was called to court because of a certain patient. This patient committed a crime and when my documentation was there. So good thing, thank God, my documentation was superb. And then I was there in court like trying to give my statements and how they did this and everything like that. And then eventually,

 

07:27

problem or issues is that our previous hospital had this education program called acculturation. It's an 11 week program, every Tuesday we attend it. They invite some Filipino leaders from that great community, because it is their first time that the hospital invited I mean, invited 33 nurses from the Philippines to work in there. So we are kind of the minority, but we never felt different. They're so warm and accomodating. And I think the hospital because they bought our contract from our agency, within 18 months. We were very, very happy with that. I thought it was just like a fairy tale dream. But it became true. Now, again, there's a lot of like challenges that we are facing here. But I am thankful to Lefora for assisting, because like we can share our experiences, we can pay it forward. And then

 

08:21

I felt the with the pain and the suffering of nurses in the Philippines asking this question. I know some questions might be the same old route, but I just answered it, the best way I can. I also felt them when I was like there in the Philippines. So I think those were my challenges and the solutions that I think that based on my six years here in the US.

 

Tanya  08:44

I hope you're enjoying the podcast so far. If you know a friend or colleague who would benefit from listening to this conversation, please let them know about the show. We want to help as many nurses as we can turn their dreams into a reality. If you're thinking about making the step to living and working as a nurse in the USA, we can help you head over to kinetics. usa.com to find out more. That's conneticsusa.com.  Those are very common challenges that many people experience, like understanding the taxes and understanding like how you build your credit history. What is credit history? You know, there's just there's a lot of things about the financial side that are very confusing, even to Americans. And even Jean I mean, you've been here for how many years?

 

Gene  09:30

14 years.

 

Tanya  09:32

I mean, isn't it still confusing to a large extent some of the financial things, either 401ks and things like that.

 

Gene  09:40

I didn't do it myself. I have my accountant from the very first like year that I came here so it's my accountant that does everything. I don't want to be you know to go for a call that to be audited. So I trust my accountant.

 

Tanya  09:58

and that's really good at advice is to find an expert who can help you. As Marvin says, I think lafora is a wonderful form. And doing that before a talk show is a wonderful way of, of educating people. Because knowledge is power, the more you know and understand the better you can prepare yourself.  Ryan, what were some of the biggest challenges that you experienced? And how did you overcome them?

 

Ryan  10:24

Well, first of all, I had a hard time coming here because it was a hurricane when I came here. So I got, I never found, I never thought that I'll be thrown in the middle of the desert. So that's also the second challenge. Because I'm working in one of the rural areas here. Like the county that I'm in right now, we have a 5000 population. So I was able to So right now, I am lucky, lucky enough to work in four different facilities. And each of those facilities only have like less than 1000 population. So it's kind of like, It's surreal, because it's different back home. In the Philippines, every everywhere is crowded, even if you go to the provinces and still crowded. Here, you need to have a vehicle. Like a car here is not luxury. Back home in the Philippines, when you have a car or whatever, It's a luxury. We have to admit it. Because we have a lot of public transportation available in the Philippines, having a car is a luxury. Here, it's a need. And that's one of the hardest things once that's one of the hardships that I got. Because I need to have a car, because the nearest grocery is 15 miles away from where I live. And that's the grocery that the nearest fast food is 16 miles away from this. If I bring if I bring this laptop around, you won't see anything like this. This is one of the most beautiful things around here, where I am. So, I need to have a car. a car, that's why having credit is important. I don't have a credit history, because having a credit history is something that I don't know when even in Ireland, even even in Ireland, we don't have something like that. So here having a credit history is something that all of us needs to study. And I think it's available in YouTube, it's available everywhere, to all people listening to this, type in 'credit history' so you would understand what it is because it's very important here. For you to get a loan, for you to even open an account and its everything. It's how they judge people, you know, they don't judge people with how much you have been your bank, they judge you with how good you are in paying back. Because I think this country is made up of credit. That's why you know, this pandemic thing, a lot of people went crazy, because why? And most of them don't have assets. Most of them don't have bank accounts. Most of us here have credit. So I'm only here for like more than a year and and my credit is on the top my head. That's the thing. So credit history is really, really important. And luckily, luckily, I met some very, very, very good people who helped me in getting my car. So there were really good people who co-sign my car with me. So I was able to get it for 1.9%, which won't be possible for me living alone. And then I met some good people who audit my tax as well. And they're all Filipino. In the age 2020 there will be a lot of professional Filipinos here that you guys could talk to. And I was really, really lucky to be able to come across to them. So a lot of people would help you. You know, just like nursing, aptitude, skills, knowledge, your attitude must be, you know, must be good. All of those evil thoughts, all of those evil deeds that you did back home; leave them! Because here you're building a new life. I don't care what you did before. We don't care what you did before. If you killed somebody before, actually, we don't care. As much as you get here. Put your best foot forward, and a lot of people will help.

 

14:13

If you enjoyed today's episode, then please help us by hitting the Follow button on your podcast player and leaving us a review. If you're thinking about making the step to living and working as a nurse in the USA, we can help you head over to kinetics usa.com to find out more. That's kinetics usa.com. Tune in next time for more incredible conversations.