The United States has proposed to the Philippine government that American students study nursing in the Philippines. This suggestion comes in recognition of the high-quality nursing education in the country and the U.S.’s own shortage of nursing educators.
The proposal was presented by United States Senator Tammy Duckworth during a courtesy visit to the chief executive at Malacañan Palace on Tuesday.
“You know, it would be really interesting to see if we could send American students to nursing schools in the Philippines because, obviously, you’re teaching to a standard that they can meet licensure in the US. But we don’t have enough nursing programs in the United States,” Duckworth said.
“So, we don’t have enough nursing educators in the United States because we just don’t have enough of them, and we have students who want to enter nursing schools but there are not enough space for them,” he added.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippine government will study the proposal, taking into consideration the country’s own challenges to address the gaps in its health care sector.
“We do have a problem with our nurses leaving and going abroad and finding good jobs abroad. And we certainly encourage that, we’re not about to hold them back,” Marcos said.
Marcos said the nursing sector was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic for almost four years.
Marcos said he remained confident on Filipino nurses that he did not see any problem with the proposal to strengthen the nursing industry in the Philippines especially now that it had been facing shortage of nurses as some opted to look for jobs overseas.
“But we need to find these new schemes so that the brain drain is not quite severe as it is now. We have a shortage, I think, at every level in our healthcare system and much of the reason behind that is the talent leaving the Philippines to find better positions. But certainly, we should examine that,” Marcos said.
Marcos said that while there was yet no concrete plans on the proposal, he and Duckworth believed that the proposal would have a good advantage for both the US and the Philippines as it would also strengthen the ties between the two countries.
“Let’s look into it. I don’t see why (not). I’m sure if we figure out the details, that probably…sounds like a good idea,” Marcos said.
