American Nursing Hagwons

Note: Questions BELOW!

Originally from Korea Beat

A hagwon that prepares students for NCLEX, an exam for nurses in America, in Yongho-dong, Changwon on the 2nd. Over 20 nurses in their 30s and 50s were listening intently to a video lecture regarding the NCLEX. Most of the students either have children being educated in the United States or intend to do so.

47 Park Jeong-sun began studying office English in the hagwon after passing the NCLEX in Tokyo on January 22nd. Mrs. Park, who has been a nurse for 23 years, decided to end her nursing career at Masan General Hospital and begin working in the United States. She has two daughters, a 20-year old college sophomore who went to the US five years ago and a 16-year old high school freshman who left one year ago. Mrs. Park said, “paying for their education is getting more and more difficult because of the changes in the exchange rate. If I work in America I can take care of my daughters at the same time.” Mrs. Park put in her letter of resignation to the hospital in May of 2007. 47-year old Song Yeong-ok, a head nurse at Bugok National Hospital, is also studying for the NCLEX after quitting her job. She wants to be with her eldest daughter, a 20-year old college sophomore who left for the US four years ago. Mrs. Song, who has worked as a nurse for 25 years, said, “I can make money and take of my daughter in the same place.”

In the 1970s nursing was the most famous work to have overseas. Beginning in 1966, over 10,000 nurses went to work overseas in Germany. After 1973 the US became a popular destination also, and over 1,000 went there, but in 1977 the US immigration laws were revised. But with the recent economic downturn these “ajumma nurses” are developing themselves and becoming nurses in America to take care of their children who are already there. There are currently 20 NCLEX hagwons in Korea. Last year over 1,000 people took the test, and 70 to 80% of them passed, the hagwon explained.

51-year old Lee Chun-jong, owner of the NCLEX hagwon in Changwon, said, “after the collapse of financial markets last year more and more Korean mothers who were nurses began deciding to work in America because of their children’s tuition bills.”

As the population of the United States ages there is a shortage of nurses able to work in social welfare facilities, and the country is accepting nurses from Korea, The Philippines, and India. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing believes that by the year 2016 the country will need over one million nurses. The organization is calling for 50,000 visas to be granted to nurses every year.

58-year old Stephanie MacTavish, who visited Korea last month from Eastern University in Philadelphia, said, “Korean nurses undergo similar training to American nurses and have good skills, so American hospitals prefer them. The Philadelphia area, where Eastern University is located, is a good place to educate your children as it is an area where white people live and there are good public hospitals.”

37-year old Jo Mi-yeon, who worked as a nurse in Seoul and passed the exam last December, will soon leave for the United States with her fifth-grade aged child. Mrs. Jo said, “I decided to work overseas because I think it’s good for children to experience foreign countries while they’re still young. I also want to improve my nursing skills and English ability so that when we come back after my child grows up I can work at the hospital in Songdo, Incheon where many foreigners are treated.”

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1) Any guesses what NCLEX is?

2) Why are most of the nurses getting American certification?

3) Why does the US need more nurses?

4) The US is a common destination now. What was a common destination in the late 1960s?

5) Do you want to work overseas?

6) I donated blood last week and frequently visit pediatric clinics (소아과) with my son when he is sick. Why is your English better than that of the nurses at these places?