Myths and Facts about Working as a Nurse in the Middle East

If you are a nurse, Middle Eastern countries are one of the easiest regions to get in to. Some hospitals don’t require a great degree of clinical experience from their nurses the way European and North American countries do. In fact, most nurses can be deployed in the Middle East without work experience at all (depending on the country).

Most Filipino nurses are apprehensive about the thought of working in the Middle East. A lot of them view the region as quite hostile and strange. Some are afraid that adjustment to the culture would be too difficult.

That is however, not the case. Many Filipinos (who have worked in the Middle East) would tell you that the country is very rich and accommodating. All you need is time to adjust and then you will be very happy working in the Middle East.

Below are a few presumptions that nurses have about working in the Middle East.
· Nurses Salary in the Middle East is no better than their salaries in the Philippines – This is of course a myth. Most nurses in the Middle East earns a minimum of USD 30,000 annually. That’s about Php 1.3 million (depending on the dollar exchange rate). This is nothing compared to the meager Php 150,000 or less that most nurses in the Philippines get for an entire year.

· Nurses have to be covered head to toe in required garb when they go out in public – Fact. This is just a Middle Eastern tradition that the women in the country have to adhere to. There may be some exceptions along the way, but most of the time this is the case. Female nurses need not worry though; they do not have to be dressed in that manner when they are inside their houses or compounds.

· Saving money in the Middle East is easy – There is some truth to this Middle Eastern perception. That is due to the fact that most of the basic expenses are covered by either the government or the hospital. Most hospitals provide meals for their employees during service hours. Nurses are also often housed in low cost or free compounds within the hospital grounds.
But, despite the fact that a lot of the expenses are already paid for, there is still the temptation of shopping and partying. Therefore, money stored away for a rainy day can just as easily be used in a shopping spree.

· Nurses are not allowed to leave the compound that they are housed in – Myth. The fact is that the social scene in some Middle Eastern countries is compound based. People are allowed to move from compound to compound as long as they adhere to and respect the practices imposed on them when they are in public.

Source: Nursingguide.ph