Job mismatch: The case of registered nurses in the Philippines

Job mismatch remains to be a subject that is given strong attention as it affects labor market productivity and economic growth. The literature revealed a growing number of nurses who are working in fields not related to the nursing profession. The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of job-mismatched registered nurses. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, a one-on-one interview has been utilized to take a look at the experiences of nine registered nurses who qualified in the inclusion criteria set by the researchers. Specifically, it gives light on what opted them to work in other fields, the difficulties they encountered, and their coping mechanisms. The result shows that participants find nursing as an exemplary education that brings together the concept and skills of competency and productivity. However, even with all their preparations for the profession, participants cited that wage gaps, stressful working environments, and employment scarcity are the reasons why nurses leave their profession. They encountered complexities during their transition to a new career in technical-related skills, work environment, and routine. Under these circumstances, participants still expressed willingness to work again as nurses in the future even with some reservations. In conclusion, the five thematic insights drawn from the experiences of the participants were the following: Unfavorable Working Conditions for Nurses, Moving to Other Career Paths to Meet Needs, Struggling Over the Mismatched Syndrome, Coping with Change, and Clinging to Nursing Profession. Thus, the researchers recommend that government, nursing, and health institutions must coordinate and discuss the plan to intensify programs and laws to promote better management and accommodation of professional nurses in the country.