jan in between

If you asked me whether I like being a nurse today, I’d say yes.

That wasn’t always my answer.

“I want to be a nurse!”

It’s something that gets planted in your mind early on.

When relatives or family friends compliment a child, a parent might proudly say, “She’s our future nurse.”

Maybe that’s why nursing was something I considered in the first place. In the Philippines, it’s a dream many of us inherit before we even know what we want for ourselves.

And so I became one.

I thought passing the board exam would be the hardest part. I was wrong.

Getting a job became the dream.

I quickly learned that experience was required in most hospitals to get hired. Funny, right? Because how are you supposed to get experience when the only experience you have is from nursing school?

The hard truth was that it helped if you knew someone inside the hospital.

I didn’t. So I volunteered, which meant I worked without pay.

One preceptorship program required us to pay a fee, but I’ll skip posting a photo from that experience to keep this lighthearted. Looking back, it was more of an opportunity to gain exposure than a structured preceptorship. Most of the time, we learned by navigating things on our own. Still, it became part of my journey and helped shape the nurse I am today.

The next one I had was actually fun because I was working with my former nursing groupmates. Half of us were already employed, and the other half were—you guessed it—volunteers! This time though, neither party was getting paid.

I’m telling you, I was already starting to embrace my fate as a volunteer. I was about ready to start my own non-profit organization. 🤣

Later on, I guess God thought I had enough of volunteering — or maybe He had mercy on my parents who continued to support me — and I finally got my first paid nursing job. Ironically, it happened when I finally knew someone who could give me a chance.

At that point, if you had asked me whether I liked being a nurse, I honestly would’ve said no.

Not because I hated nursing. I just hated how hard it was to get started.

Finding a nursing job wasn’t easy. Building confidence wasn’t easy. And for a while, the ROI was not ROI-ing. 🥴

As far as I knew, volunteer experience in the Philippines didn’t really count for much when applying for jobs. That’s why I was honestly surprised when those years were recognized here. They were counted as part of my experience and even made a difference in determining my starting pay.

Then I realized—why wouldn’t they count? Even as volunteers, our licenses were still at stake. We were still accountable for the care we provided.

Fast forward to today, sometimes we have new grads in preceptorship program in our unit. They are paid while they learn and being guided—not paying a fee to be there like I once did.

Every time I work with them, I think about how much I wish I had that kind of support as a fresh graduate.

I also wish more new nurses in the Philippines had access to opportunities like this —

a true preceptorship where new nurses don’t have to pay for experience.

A new nurse’s chance shouldn’t depend on who they know or where they’re from.

Because now, if you ask me the same question, my answer is yes.

I love my job.

Not because nursing became easier nor every shift is a good one.

But because I was finally given the support and opportunity to grow.

Looking back, I’ve never believed new nurses in the Philippines lack potential.

Sometimes they just need support.

Note: Every nursing journey is unique. This reflection is simply a glimpse of my own experience and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. 🤍

A Little Bisaya Note
Bisaya: “Padayon.”
English: “Keep going.”