REPOST FROM a BLOG: For Mrs. Cynthia Villar’s Demeaning Statement on Filipino Nurses

REPOST FROM A BLOG:
In light of the recent degrading comments made by aspiring political candidate Cynthia Villar, the world of Pinoy Nurses turned red with rage. So here’s my letter to you, as a proud nurse of the Philippines. Read and reflect that you may find enlightenment.

Dear Mrs. Villar,

First of all, thank you. Why? For showing your true colors early on. You are now defined by all that you said in that speech of yours and your short 15 seconds of fame has now come to pass.

I am a nurse. And not just any nurse. I am a nurse of the Republic of the Philippines. And I’m proud to be one. As a nurse, I have come to know of the hardships, trials and difficulties that my fellow pinoy nurses face in our beloved country. It is not easy being a nurse. It takes dedication, perseverance and hard work. Most importantly, it takes not only intelligence, but HEART.

We offer four long years of our young lives profusely studying our brains to exhaustion. Some of us proceed to even greater heights and attain Master’s and Doctorate Degrees. We strive hard to get a job. And when we do, we work our butts off to SAVE LIVES. We forgo sleep, have little food, barely drink water, run around and barely rest, and squeeze our innovative minds to the fullest just so we could do our job well. We swallow our pride and clean other people’s messes for them. We give less time to our own families, just so we can give more time to yours. We face insults everyday with our heads held high. Insults like the ones you just uttered. Insults that degrade our lovely profession into something less than it really is. Insults that see us professional nurses as mere slaves.

As a nurse abroad, I tell you, it is not easy. We gave up a LOT to be here. We risk missing our families so much we could lose our minds. We give up being among our own people. We give up a HUGE part of ourselves just so we could provide for our families. Because let’s face it, pinoy nurses are too much unappreciated and under payed in their OWN country. Blame it on the economy, blame it on whoever, but the fact is, we are not payed enough for the kind and amount of service we provide. We are professionals and yet we are payed and treated much less so.

Here abroad, nurses, especially Pinoys, are held with high regard. We have a reputation for being one of the best nurses around.We care without complaint, we give good service, and we are knowledgeable of our job. There are many times when doctors come to us for help. There are many times when we are asked to work extra shifts, late hours, and cover difficult loads. And we gladly give it. No complaints. No nothing. Why? Because they appreciate us. Because they RESPECT US. We nurses strive to work abroad because we HAVE to. Because living off the meager salary of a nurse in Pinas do not provide for a better future or a better life for our families.

So why do we still do it despite it all? We do not do this on a mere whim. We do it because we want to attain the best that we can in this profession. We do it because we are proud to be nurses. We are proud to be of service to our country and our fellow countrymen.

We continuously give a part of our selves to others just so they themselves could live. For in actuality Mrs. Villar, that’s what we NURSES do. We are here because we need to be. We are here because YOU need US to save people. WE are here because you NEED us to be here.

So telling your precious pinoy nurses that they don’t even need to have a BSN because they only want to work abroad as a ROOM nurse and that they don’t really need to be good because they are only there to care for others is too much of a DISRESPECT. It is utterly degrading and bemeaning and we, pinoy nurses, do NOT deserve such atrocities. And by the way, there’s no such thing as a “Room Nurse”. Operating Room Nurse, yes. Emergency Room Nurse, yes. But a Room Nurse? Seriously?

So before you go ahead and talk on national television about things you really have no idea whatsoever about, do your research first. For unless you can care for critically ill, intubated patients, deliver appropriate anti-arrythmic drugs, know pharmacology by heart, and become one of the most revered nurses, you have NO right to tell us what qualifications we need to BE A NURSE. If anything, you should be thanking us for giving good service and making known worldwide how good Philippine Nurses are.

I am ashamed for you. I am sad for you. And I am sad for our government. I hope you see the error in your ways and correct it.

As for now, you are not getting my vote. And I don’t think you’ll be getting votes from other pinoy nurses either.

Sincerely,
Concerned and Proud Pinoy Nurse

(I did not write this, I found  this shared in Facebook. I salute whoever wrote this, it completely denounces Mrs. Villar’s mocking statements regarding Filipino Nurses.

To those following my blog. Mrs Cynthia Villar is a Candidate for Senator in my country. )