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Healthcare Worker Culture

In the international arena, one of the first things that come to mind at the mention of Filipinos is nurses or caregivers. With its origins dating back to the early 1900s when Filipinos served as nurses to American troops, it’s somewhat become the Filipino parents ’ dream for their children. While it is a prestigious and hard-earned position , it is also a ticket for Filipinos to work abroad and earn good money . Filipino nurses are definitely known for being hardworking and caring but overall, many Filipinos are active in the healthcare scene. This includes clinical laboratory scientists or medical technologists, physical and occupational therapists, and doctors. Dominating the healthcare field creates some traditions and superstitions unique to Filipino health workers.

Toxic and Benign

These are terms you will hear a lot behind the scenes as a healthcare worker . Basically, a “toxic” person is someone whose presence makes the whole shift unusually busy. These people are not exactly lazy nor despised by their coworkers. For crazy unknown reasons unexplainable by science, their attendance and uncanny timing attract an influx of patients and multiple workloads within the span of a shift. The opposite is “benign” wherein their presence wards off the amounts of work to be done .
While timing and coincidences of the person ’s shift play a role, there are truly people who fit into these categories . Ask any Filipino healthcare professional about it and you’ll be surprised that these types of people actually exist.

Noodles and Ice Cream

They say we are what we eat . As crazy as it sounds, the power of food can influence the trend of the shift. The meal that must be avoided at all costs during a shift is noodles. They say noodles will prolong the shift and make it busier. While you may have packed it for lunch because it was part of a birthday party leftover, you’re best eating it in hiding to protect yourself from your coworkers. The good news is that it can be reversed – through ice cream! Ice cream is believed to lessen the workload in a shift and bring about more benign duties. While there is no reason behind this (perhaps it freezes the influx of work ?), who doesn’t want to enjoy some ice cream during a long day of work ?

Underpaid, Overworked

Healthcare is an important aspect of our daily lives no matter what our background is. Despite these careers being classified as essential ones, their pay is often too little, not justifying the hard -earned degree, extensive work hours, and hazards that health workers face. The Philippines has been accused of having a “brain drain” wherein many of its best professionals often leave the country in search of greener pastures. While many blame the lack of nationalism and patriotism, it is actually the lack of compensation and unfair treatment that drives them to leave everything behind. The Philippines has probably one of the best healthcare training in the world (many foreign -born Filipinos earn their medical degree for a cheaper price and good training ) but it all goes to waste if the government does not implement laws to ensure better pay for these professionals.

Learn Tagalog

served as nurses - nagsilbi bilang mga nars
prestigious and hard-earned position - prestihiyoso at pinaghirapang posisyon
hardworking and caring - masipag at maalaga
dominating the medical field - nangingibabaw sa larangang medikal
healthcare worker - manggagawa sa pangkalusugan
amounts of work to be done - dami ng dapat gawain
timing and coincidences - tayming at pagkakataon
fit into these categories - magkasya sa mga kategoryang ito
avoided at all costs - iniiwasan sa lahat ng paraan
prolong the shift - pahabain ang pagtatrabaho
it can be reversed - maaari itong baligtarin
no reason behind - walang dahilan kung bakit
hazards that workers face - mga panganib na hinaharap ng mga manggagawa
best professionals - pinakamahusay na mga propesyonal
often leave the country - madalas umalis ng bansa
1. served as nurses - nagsilbi bilang mga nars
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2. prestigious and hard-earned position - prestihiyoso at pinaghirapang posisyon
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3. hardworking and caring - masipag at maalaga
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4. dominating the medical field - nangingibabaw sa larangang medikal
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5. healthcare worker - manggagawa sa pangkalusugan
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6. amounts of work to be done - dami ng dapat gawain
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7. timing and coincidences - tayming at pagkakataon
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8. fit into these categories - magkasya sa mga kategoryang ito
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9. avoided at all costs - iniiwasan sa lahat ng paraan
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10. prolong the shift - pahabain ang pagtatrabaho
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11. it can be reversed - maaari itong baligtarin
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12. no reason behind - walang dahilan kung bakit
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13. hazards that workers face - mga panganib na hinaharap ng mga manggagawa
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14. best professionals - pinakamahusay na mga propesyonal
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15. often leave the country - madalas umalis ng bansa
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Learn Cebuano

served as nurses - nagserbisyo isip mga nars
prestigious and hard-earned position - prestihiyoso ug kugihan nga posisyon
hardworking and caring - kugihan ug matinagdanon
dominating the medical field - nagdominar sa natad sa medisina
healthcare worker - trabahante sa panglawas
amounts of work to be done - gidaghanon sa trabaho nga pagabuhaton
timing and coincidences - tayming ug sulagma
fit into these categories - mohaum niini nga mga kategoriya
avoided at all costs - gilikayan sa tanang mahimo
prolong the shift - lugwayan ang katungdanan
it can be reversed - kini mahimong balihon
no reason behind - walay rason ngano
hazards that workers face - mga peligro nga giatubang sa mga trabahante
best professionals - labing maayo nga mga propesyonal
often leave the country - kanunay nga mobiya sa nasud
1. served as nurses - nagserbisyo isip mga nars
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2. prestigious and hard-earned position - prestihiyoso ug kugihan nga posisyon
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3. hardworking and caring - kugihan ug matinagdanon
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4. dominating the medical field - nagdominar sa natad sa medisina
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5. healthcare worker - trabahante sa panglawas
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6. amounts of work to be done - gidaghanon sa trabaho nga pagabuhaton
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7. timing and coincidences - tayming ug sulagma
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8. fit into these categories - mohaum niini nga mga kategoriya
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9. avoided at all costs - gilikayan sa tanang mahimo
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10. prolong the shift - lugwayan ang katungdanan
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11. it can be reversed - kini mahimong balihon
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12. no reason behind - walay rason ngano
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13. hazards that workers face - mga peligro nga giatubang sa mga trabahante
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14. best professionals - labing maayo nga mga propesyonal
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15. often leave the country - kanunay nga mobiya sa nasud
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Learn Ilocano

served as nurses - nagserbi nga kas nars
prestigious and hard-earned position - maipasindayag ken nagrigatan nga pagtakderan
hardworking and caring - nagaget ken manangipateg
dominating the medical field - dominaran ti medisina
healthcare worker - agtaripato ti salun-at
amounts of work to be done - ti kaadu ti trabaho nga maaramid
timing and coincidences - oras na ken kapanawen
fit into these categories - rumbeng kadagitoy nga kategorya
avoided at all costs - liklikan anya man ti maaramid
prolong the shift - ibaybayag ti panagubra
it can be reversed - mabalin nga agbaliktad
no reason behind - awan ti rason na no apay
hazards that workers face - bangen nga sangwen dagiti agubra
best professionals - kalaingan nga propesyonal
often leave the country - kanayon nga tumalaw da ti pagilian
1. served as nurses - nagserbi nga kas nars
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2. prestigious and hard-earned position - maipasindayag ken nagrigatan nga pagtakderan
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3. hardworking and caring - nagaget ken manangipateg
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4. dominating the medical field - dominaran ti medisina
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5. healthcare worker - agtaripato ti salun-at
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6. amounts of work to be done - ti kaadu ti trabaho nga maaramid
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7. timing and coincidences - oras na ken kapanawen
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8. fit into these categories - rumbeng kadagitoy nga kategorya
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9. avoided at all costs - liklikan anya man ti maaramid
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10. prolong the shift - ibaybayag ti panagubra
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11. it can be reversed - mabalin nga agbaliktad
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12. no reason behind - awan ti rason na no apay
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13. hazards that workers face - bangen nga sangwen dagiti agubra
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14. best professionals - kalaingan nga propesyonal
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15. often leave the country - kanayon nga tumalaw da ti pagilian
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