The Relevance of Philippine DOH Programs to Nursing Students
Due to nursing shortages around the world, Filipino nurses and doctors have found numerous opportunities to work and study abroad. However, policies by the Philippine Department of Health and changes in the employment outlook for nurses have reversed this trend.-
History
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Due to the demand for nurses worldwide, numerous Filipino doctors have chosen to study nursing as a way to find more lucrative employment abroad, with fewer obstacles than becoming recertified in medicine. Likewise, Filipino nursing students have found many opportunities to work abroad, especially in countries facing severe nursing shortages.
Significance
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Because of the number of Filipino doctors switching to nursing in order to work abroad, the Philippine Department of Health has invoked the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. This allows the Philippine government to avert a shortage of physicians at home by barring doctors from working outside the country.
Outlook
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The outlook for nursing employment worldwide has changed since 2005, with more nursing graduates entering the workforce. Because the demand for nurses has decreased, more young Filipinos are now entering medical school to become doctors, thus reversing the trend of doctors choosing nursing as an avenue for working abroad.
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