How are you, wonderful people? I’m hoping you are all doing well in your own lives and work.
I want to share an update about my work now that I am back in the Philippines. I have mentioned in my previous post, the reasons why I went back home and that is to practice the degree I studied at University- as a nurse.
After a week with my family, I flew to a small town in the south of the Philippines where I grew up. When I was still in Thailand, I already thought of where I would want to work, whether in a city or a province/town. I could always choose the city but I didn’t. Maybe I’m really getting old because crowded places and traffic problems are not so fun to me anymore.
So, in the end, I moved back to where I always considered my hometown. And so far, I’m loving it here. I am perfectly confident I made the right choice.
Waiting for my flight from Cebu City…
Workplace Options
Before I explain how I applied as a nurse in my town, I would like to describe as to how many hospital choices there are for me. There are only three hospitals that I can apply to which consist of two primary and one secondary hospital. Tertiary hospitals are in the nearby cities which although not as crowded as Cebu City, would mean either for me to rent a place or I would commute every day.
Ultimately, I preferred to work in my town so it won’t be too far from where I will stay, only around 10-15 minute ride. It is also closer to my relatives and friends so I won’t be alone and get bored easily.
Application, Exam & Interview
Once I was certain where I wanted to work, I passed my resume immediately. After a couple of days, I received an invitation for an exam. Oh, the exam consisted of English test, logic, essay writing and finally, nursing knowledge. I did the test for two hours. The good thing was that my aunt, who is also a nurse in the same hospital, helped me review common questions the night before such as calculating the drops/min of IVF and dosages. Otherwise, I would’ve probably failed. Ha!
Then, a few days later, I was scheduled for an interview. I talked to three different people at different times. One was the HR manager, Assistant Hospital Administrator and lastly, the Chief nurse. Whew, I think that was the first time I was interviewed like that. I was asked almost the same questions so by the time I was talking to the Chief nurse, I felt like a pro but anxious to go home and end the day.
While waiting for my last interview of the day..
Application Requirements
After the interview, I was advised to start gathering my application requirements because as they say, it would take some time. And oh boy, the requirements made me complain and whine a lot. Ha! Some requirements were easy to get but some such as the SSS, PhilHealth, and BIR were the real test for me. The problem lies with the time of waiting for hours in a day. I know it’s normal for an applicant to encounter these challenges but I just hope it won’t always be like this. We have computers and the internet now. I wish they could come up with a better and more efficient plan of transacting in government offices in the future.
Just, for instance, my BIR document. Since I worked in Cebu before, I had to request that my TIN/account be transferred to our regional office near my town. I can’t process it while I’m not there so I asked my sister to do it for me. I requested a SPA from here and sent it to her so she could process it on my behalf. It took us one week before my BIR account was verified. You have to expect that sometimes, it won’t be finished in one day.
In the end, more than a week of going back and forth to these offices, I was able to get all my required documents. As a result of this experience, I’ve learned the importance of patience. Ha!
Nurse Uniform & Shoes
In further preparation for my new work, I bought white cloth for my uniform and white shoes because what else do nurses wear except white. =)
There is no ready-made uniform here in my town, unlike in other big cities. So in order to have one, I need to hire a seamstress to sew it for me. Luckily, my aunt started sewing as her hobby. So, she made my uniforms as a practice and I couldn’t be happier. It means less expenses on my part. =)
Me in my white scrub and cap. =)
I am a nurse
When people ask me what my job is now, I proudly say “ I am a nurse”. Claiming my nursing profession gives me that incredible feeling from within. This is a career I only imagined for years before but now, I am finally am a nurse. In addition, this is a choice I made for myself. You know, if it’s something you planned and dreamed of, the feeling of success or failure would be more intense compared to something you’re only doing because others say you should.
My ID says I’m a STAFF NURSE.
With that said though, I don’t want to sugarcoat the fact that my first weeks working as a nurse were horrendous. I was all over the place. It was overwhelming and physically draining for me. I am glad that the colleagues I worked with though, were all friendly and patient with me.
My expectations prior were of the worst cases, like, maybe I’ll cry out of exhaustion or make terrible mistakes. However, it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated it to be. True, there are days that I was drained but I am actually enjoying my new job.
Being a nurse is not easy. I knew that before and now I am realizing it all over again. Kudos to all nurses all around the world. For without us, who would take care of the patients?
