Research Paper HRM E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 2 | Issue : 5 | May 2016
UNDERSTANDINGTHEIMPERATIVESOFACCULTURATION
ANDJOBSATISFACTIONAMONGFILIPINONURSESINTHE
SULTANATEOFOMAN
Cherry Ann C. Ballad
ABSTRACT
The Philippines is a country that has gained a global reputation for exporting nurses to other countries to fill in shortage. Deliberately or not deliberately done, the
Philippine government does not only support this move, but more so, it strengthened Filipino nurses' deployment outside the country as the remittances of Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFW) added a boost to the national economy. Relevant to this, their nursing academic system is highly westernized making Filipino Nurses more
adept in the provision of undivided nursing care regardless of race, culture and gender. This has made Filipino nurses one of the most sought-after nurses in the global
horizon. A common labor destination for Filipinos is the Middle East which includes the Sultanate of Oman. Oman is a Muslim country whose ways of life, tradition
and culture is far different from that of the Philippines. It is imperative to understand acculturation and job satisfaction of Filipino nurses working [and who plan to
work] in the Sultanate as these factors largely affect their job performance, physical and psychological health. A highly accultured and satisfied nurse is a happy and a
productive nurse. Finally, maintaining and grooming them relieves global nursing shortage.
I. Philippines as a Major Exporter of Nurses in the World The expanding migration and deployment of Filipino workers all over the globe
The deployment of Filipino Nurses to meet the global demand and nursing short- has helped to raise the economy of the country through their immense remit-
age continues to rise. According to the statistics of the Philippine Overseas tances. According to the official data of the Philippine Statistics Office (PSO)
Employment Administration (POEA) released on the year 2014, registered 2014 Survey on Overseas Filipinos, total remittances of OFWs from April to Sep-
nurses are the second largest number of deployed land-based Overseas Filipino tember 2014 was approximated at 173.2 billion Pesos which was higher than the
Workers (OFW). The data reflected the steady growth of Filipino Nurses being 162.4 worth of remittances of the previous year. OFWs were famed as the unsung
deployed from 2010 to 2014. On the year 2010 alone, 12,082 documented Fili- heroes of the country because of this great contribution. Further, working abroad
pino Nurses left the country while on the year 2014, 19, 815 Filipino nurses were has accorded every OFW the opportunity to provide a better life for the family
deployed to other countries. The Philippines continued to be the largest exporter through stable financial sustenance. From the data of the PSO (2014), 35.2% of
of nurses in the world for the 20th century to meet global shortage for nurses espe- the recipient families were able to set aside a portion of the remittances for sav-
cially in developed countries (Choy, 2003 as cited by Brush et al, 2004, Brush, ings. 62.6% or six in every ten OFWs were able to set aside at least 25% of the
2010 & Choy 2010). The Filipino nurses remained to be the largest group of IENs total cash remittance. Semyonov &Gorodzeisky (2005, p.63) determined that the
in the United States of America (USA). Of the internationally-educated nurses families of OFWs became increasingly dependent to the remittances as they
(IEN) in USA, 50.1% came from the Philippines (The Registered Nurse Popula- heavily relied to it as the primary source of living.
tion, 2008).
With their high caliber and capabilities, it is documented how Filipino nurses
Brush (2010) conducted an in-depth study on the history of migration of Filipino remained competitive in the global arena and this reputation was a constant
Nurses. Looking back at the history of the Philippines post-colonialization, the source of national pride. Estimo (2014) wrote in Arab News that numerous Arabs
country was left in turmoil as it had to struggle with the devastation brought and other nationalities are appreciative of the care being rendered by Filipino
about by World War II. The administration, led by President Manual L. Roxas, Nurses in Saudi Arabia. In the news article, Wahib al Jurdi, the cardiologist of
was plagued with economic hurdles in their effort to rebuild the nation with Specialized Medical Center Hospital in Riyadh, KSA praised the Filipino nurses
diminutive wealth. Moreover, health care issues arose as an increasing sick popu- for being caring, conscientious, charismatic and hard-working. This same appre-
lation with communicable diseases surfaced. The need for highly skilled nurses ciation has been rendered by President Obama as the White House venerated the
to meet the health demands of the nation was palpable. As such, nursing schools community works of Corazon Basa Cortes Tomalinas and awarded her the honor
such as University of the Philippines opened up a sophisticated curriculum to of being a “Champion of Change”; moreover, on his State of the Union Address,
level up the training ground for their nursing students. When President Ferdinand he hailed another Filipino Nurse in the name of Menchu Sanchez, as a role model
Marcos started his political reign in 1965, he inherited the economic difficulties when she selflessly saved 20 newborns in her hospital during the Hurricane
of the past administration. Committed in providing a new hope for a better Phil- Sandy (Rueda, 2013). Indeed, the exodus of Filipino nurses to join the global
ippines, he promised the Filipinos a “new society” and he implored that the labor market is strengthened by their suitable academic preparation, strong work
nurses take an active role towards this reform. He branded the Filipino Nurses as ethics and compassion to serve and render undivided care in a transcultural set-
the newest international specialty of the country by encouraging their migration ting. This makes them highly marketable and competitive candidates that are
to other countries to strengthen remittances and thus a stronghold of nation build- always sought-after in the global arena.
ing. This was quickly responded by an upsurge of nursing schools and an unprec-
edented increase in number of nursing graduates with a nursing curriculum that is II. The Sultanate of Oman and the Middle East as a Destination for Filipino
highly influenced by Western system of education and English proficiency train- Nurses
ing (Brush, 2010, pp. 1572-1579). The Middle East is a popular destination for OFWs. The statistics from POEA
(2014) showed that the top 10 destinations both for newly hired and rehired
Intentionally or unintentionally, the Philippine government has equipped the OFWs were as follows: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singa-
nursing workforce with a training ground that is adept for migration (Choy, 2010, pore, Qatar, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Taiwan, Malaysia, Bahrain and Canada.
p. 15). In return, the glory that migration has brought to the lives of many Filipino Though not ranked in the top 10, the Sultanate of Oman employed a steady incre-
nurses gained an ecstatic reputation that ignited the clamor of most Filipinos to mental number of OFWs annually from 2010 with 10,955 OFWs to 15,880
use nursing as a stepping stone for a better future through migration. Because of OFWs in 2014 (POEA, 2014).
the poor work conditions, weakened employability, and more importantly, mini-
mal compensation that Filipino nurses need to endure in the Philippines despite The Sultanate of Oman (hereafter referred to as Oman), an Arab-Muslim state
the rigor of the nature of their job, many opt and desire to move abroad to end geographically located in the Middle East, is considered in the past as “one of the
their plight (Brush, 2010; Semyonov & Gorodzeisky, 2005). Financial difficul- most traditional societies in the Arab world” (Curtis, 1999 as cited by Kemp &
ties and the determination to provide a better future for their families are the most Madsen, 2014, p.789). It is an Islamic country that is highly inclined by their cul-
compelling reasons why Filipino nurses leave the country (Ordonez, 2012, p. tural beliefs and traditions. It joined in coalition with five neighboring co-Arab-
47). They can earn in one year what they will have to earn for 20 years in the Phil- Muslim countries namely, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kingdom of Saudi Ara-
ippines (Brush, 2010). This enchanting hullabaloo for nursing continued to rise bia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, to form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to
as proven by an unprecedented growth of higher education institutions (HEIs) boost the mutual political and economic growth of each other (Kemp & Madsen,
providing nursing education in the country (Ordonez, 2012, p.47, 49). In fact, the 2014, p.789). The GCC is principally a collective society that is bonded deeply
Commission of Higher Education (CHED), the government seat responsible for by their resilient religious ties (Mujtaba, Khanfar&Khanfar, 2009, p.175).
monitoring the provision of quality education among HEIs, tightened their role Mujtaba, et al (2009, p.178) denoted that Omanis value unity, relationship and
to secure nursing education by closing down 23 nursing HEIs that are consis- tasks as influenced by their Arab-Islam (cultural-religious) orientation. They
tently low performing in the professional licensure examinations (Ordonez, maintain close family ties and keep lasting relationships with friends, colleagues
2012, p. 53). and loved-ones (p.178). They give high regard to societal hierarchies that are dic-
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International Education & Research Journal [IERJ] 69
Research Paper E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 2 | Issue : 5 | May 2016
tated by wealth, age and tribal orientation (p.178). There is a clear demarcation of gles may particularly be compounded for most Filipino nurses as they work in a
authority lines and decisions are usually practiced in a top-to-bottom style Muslim country that is entirely different from the culture, values and tradition of
(p.178). the bigger population of the Philippines. The likelihood of experiencing unnec-
essary apprehension and tension may surface as they leave the Philippines carry-
In a study by Katou, Budhwar, Woldu& Al Hamadi (2010), they emphasized that ing with them a Westernized set of knowledge and expertise and arriving in a
social elite, beliefs, values and norms, and religion play the most important role healthcare system that is heavily influenced by Islamic traditional practices and
in shaping human resource management (HRM) in Oman. Further, high predict- cultural norms. The provision of a culturally-centered nursing care and a diversi-
ability of preference is given to national institutions primarily (1) administrative fied workforce may be new experiences to an arriving Filipino nurse.
establishments e.g. Ministry of Legal Affairs, Court of Legal Administration and
Court of the Royal Diwan, (2) labor laws and labor markets, (3) Omanization pro- Brown & Busman (2003, pp.351-352) explored the factors affecting standards of
gram and (4) Sharia Law which is a fundamental source of Islamic Law after the practice among expatriate healthcare workforce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Quran, in forming HRM in the country. The Islamic culture and tradition is more an Arab-Islamic-rooted country whose healthcare system is heavily influenced
than a way of life in Oman as it penetrates social, political and economic aspects by culture and religion. It was predominantly expressed by most of the partici-
of the country. pants that KSA follows an authoritative rather than collaborative form of deci-
sion-making where the highest regard are given to doctors as source of authority.
According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), Oman When asked of the factors affecting their standards of practice, the three most
has reached a total population of 4,254,416 at the end of September 2015with a common themes that emerged were professional education and training from
growth rate of 0.7 percent from the previous month. Of this, 55.6% are Omanis home countries, previous work experiences and continuous professional devel-
with a population of 2,365,937 while 44.4% represents the expatriate population opment provided by their departments/ institutions in KSA. Further, the partici-
at 1,888,479 (Times of Oman, 2015). This data shows that nearly half of the total pants rely primarily on the professional bodies from their respective countries,
population living in the country is expatriates. The highest percentage of expatri- followed, in order of ranking, by the internet, books and journals, their depart-
ates is Indians, followed by Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Ethiopians, Indonesians, ments and peers as sources of standards of care. Putting emphasis on KSA as a
Filipinos, Egyptians, Nepalese and Sri Lankans (Times of Oman, 2015). This country that embraced a culturally-diversed workforce, the authors stressed on
data reveals that Oman houses a mix of multi-cultures in one roof, a country that the essentiality that health care management should standardize the quality of
is highly heterogenous in demographics despite the tight preservation of the care by looking into standards of practices accorded by their foreign workers.
Islamic heritage. There is also a need to review the recruitment process looking into employer-
employee fit and assess personal characteristics of job applicants to thrive in a
Part of the objectives of the GCC is the strict implementation of localization pol- transcultural setting. Further importance is placed on the orientation process
icy (termed “Omanization” in Oman) among the states to give employment pri- given to their foreign workers to address their needs and ease their adjustment
ority for the citizens of the state and slowly withdraw dependence from foreign process in working in a relatively culturally-varied situation.
labor (Swailes, Al Said & Al Fahdi, 2012, p.357). However, the data from NCSI
demonstrates that the country still rests heavily on expatriates to maintain eco- IV. Acculturation and Job Satisfaction of Filipino Nurses
nomic functions despite stringent Omanization measures. Acculturation is a two-way process where one successfully adapts to the culture
of the host country while not disowning the culture of the home country (Alba &
Employing young Omanis to speed up the rate of Omanization may take time Nee, 1997 & Berry, 2003 as cited by Ea, Griffin, L'Eplattenier, Fitzpatrick, 2008,
before it can be fully realized. Kuehn & Al Busaidi (2000) compared the values p.47). Degree of acculturation can affect levels of job satisfaction. In a study con-
and attitudes of Omanis and expatriate workers. According to the study, Omanis ducted by Ea, et al (2008, p.49-50) of Filipino nurses' job satisfaction and accul-
displayed negative reactions to increase work demand and overtime and turation in America, it was found that the participants have a moderate level of
expressed willingness to leave their present job. Expatriates on the other hand are job satisfaction and have successfully adjusted with the culture of America
more practical in their standpoint where remaining committed to their work is the becoming English-proficient and adopting major cultural norms and traditional
only way to stay in Oman. In another study by Swailes, et al (2012, p.364- practices of their current host country. In fact, the study revealed that the partici-
365),both private and public sectors expressed that work ethics need to be pants are more accustomed with the culture of the host country than that of their
strengthened among young Omanis through proper education and training espe- home country. The positive findings on acculturation can be highly associated
cially on the aspect of attendance, organizational commitment, satisfactory per- with their age, length of stay in USA averaging to 15.5 years and length of nurs-
formance, delivery of quality outputs, reliability and caring attitude in customer ing practice in USA with average of 15 years. The positive job satisfaction of the
service. participants can be associated with factors such as high income, level of educa-
tion and length of stay and practice in USA. Moreover, all of the participants are
Spite of the enormous effort of the government toward Omanization, there is a members of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) which may
continued preference among private companies of foreign over local labor pri- also affect their level of job satisfaction as they demonstrate strong professional
marily because of practice of stronger work ethics among expatriates (Swailes, et commitment. More importantly, the findings indicate that positive acculturation
al, 2012, p.361). Foreign labor is perceived as indispensable to maintain vigor influences job satisfaction positively. The findings echoes a potent implication
and competitiveness in the field of entrepreneurship (Kuehn & Al Busaidi, 2000; for future healthcare human resource managers who intend to employ Filipino
Swailes, et al, 2012, p.361). Omanis are not risk-takers and still rely on the exper- nurses to operate a reliable acculturation programs to ease the adjustment pro-
tise of the expatriates (Mujtaba et al, 2009, p.185). cess of employees to a relatively new health care system as well as new members
of the present society.
Kuehn & Al Busaidi (2000) highlighted that competence, regardless of national-
ity, should be the basis for hiring for competitive organizations. They further De Castro, Gee & Takeuchi (2008, p.37) studied the relationship of job dissatis-
emphasized that Omanization should foster the growth of organizational culture faction and physical and psychological health among migrant Filipino workers.
that breeds and supports Omanis and expatriates alike. The results showed that job dissatisfaction resulted to higher levels of psycho-
logical distress and poor physical health conditions. The authors emphasized that
III. Cultural Diversity: Challenge to Filipino Nurses migrant Filipino workers, though they are underrepresented and considered a
Culture shock is a common occurrence to anyone who is exposed to a new cul- minority group, left their home country essentially for employment; thus, their
ture. In a study by Rajesakar&Renaud (2013,p.144), culture shock is one of the levels of job satisfaction should be given importance and not undervalued by
first challenges that expatriates experience upon arriving to their host countries. their employers.
Unfamiliarity, ethnocentricity and inflexibility or failure to adapt with the exist-
ing culture, are the main factors leading to culture shock. Unfamiliarity or the Identifying and improving the acculturation and job satisfaction of Filipino
lack of knowledge and orientation to the culture of the host country is the major nurses in the Sultanate of Oman has many far-reaching advantages. Firstly,
cause where people usually associate something different to something wrong knowledge on their level of acculturation and job satisfaction exposes potential
(p.157); ethnocentricity is the personal belief that one's culture is superior over problem areas that necessitate attention and solution by the administration. Sec-
the culture of the host country (pp.144-145); and, adapting to a new culture is usu- ondly, a satisfied nurse is a healthy and productive nurse. Thus, ensuring their
ally a difficult, long and painful process (p.157). Of the categories of culture acculturation and satisfaction fortifies their professional acumen that contributes
shock, differences in culture and religion are the crucial disputes that cause gap largely to the advancement of health care outcomes in their respective institu-
among people (p.157). The incompatible differences that transpire between tions. Lastly, higher level of acculturation and job satisfaction is related to stron-
Christians and Muslims are widely documented that has caused chaos, dispari- ger organizational commitment. Ensuring successful acculturation and high
ties and difficulties in patching the two religions in the world (p.157). Profound level of job satisfaction decreases the likelihood of early or fast turnover hence
misunderstandings occur because human behavior is largely dictated by reli- relieving global nursing shortage.
gious associations.
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