The exodus of Filipino nurses to call center industry

If you are a nurse who recently took the board exam, then you must be one of the many new graduates who are considered to be unemployed. After the long weekend parties, holidays, and vacation trips a month ago, you should have recently wondered 'hey what's next for me now?' Well you are not alone. In fact, many of my reviewmates in a local review center headed to many local BPO companies here in our city. BPO or business process outsourcing  involves the contracting of the operations and responsibilities of specific business functions (or processes) to a third-party service provider.

Employees who work under these companies are referred as call center agents or customer service representatives. I'm sure any graduates here in the Philippines has once in a while heard things related to call center companies, etc. That is totally a no-brainer. Undergraduates, unemployed graduates of nursing almost exclusively resort working for these companies. Armed with your English language literacy, this work will not need so much of your math skills nor theoretically inclined whatsoever which are related to your degree. If you have been very comfortable using the language then you should be fine with it.

Nurses who have been very dedicated to their field is left with no choice but to work for companies that give them a good offer.I think nurses too are very capable of working in these BPO companies as well. WHY?

Here's a short list:

• Nurses are trained to work under pressure. They accomplish the job completely and right on time;
• We are very accustomed facing the people and talking to the people--case study presentations, care plan defense, community programs, health teachings to our patients, thesis defense and proposal, etc. NAME IT!
• Almost every nurse who finished the degree is equipped with good language skills.
• We have refined interpersonal relations to different people. People friendly that is.
• Disciplined with strong working ethics
• Sanay sa puyatan--INDEED

What I have cited are just some of the reasons why nurses are a good fit for such job. And that is why also many call center companies welcome these manpower with open arms. (HAHA).

Kidding aside, another point to raise would be:

1.    NURSES STUDIED for a BSN degree for 4 excruciating years--why then work for BPO companies?

2.    Your parents and kind relatives exhausted around Php400,000.00 - 600,000.00 for you to finish nursing, work as a nurse, and go abroad!!! They did not spend such amount of money for you to end up as a call center agent, duh!!

3.    To work as a nurse you need to finish the degree. Vs to work as a call center agent you only need 4 semesters of any course in college. Wew!

4.    Yes you got a work. But still, you are considered to be underemployed since your work is not in line with the degree you earned. Perhaps you will still be included in the DOLE statistics. haha

5.    Meager wage of hospitals (6-10K) Vs the enticing 10-18k of BPO companies.

6.    Non contractual (for staff nurses) Vs Contractual of BPO companies.

7.    To sum it up: nakakapag hinayang ang main issue diba!

This issue is truly a reflection of our economy's poor condition. The surplus of manpower in our country has led to the emergence of temporary/contractual employment wherein workers are very vulnerable to any possible exploitation. Still, nurses who decides to work off the track for these companies are not be blamed. A decision has to be made and its for the benefit of their families and for personal growth as well.