RN has been referred with some derogatory slant as Reserved for the Navy, as many of them have married navy people who are generally less educated than the Filipino RN (often with a BSN degree). In many instances, the marriage is consummated because the single RN has to legalize her stay in the U.S. before her working or student visa expires. Since 1965, foreign-nursing graduates, after passing the so-called CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) exams were issued an Interim RN license, but within one year they must pass the required state RN exams. If they fail, they must go home or face the traumatic experience of being deported. Obviously, many nurses are scared to become a TNT (tago nang tago) or NPA (no permanent address). Due to the bleak or precarious economic situation back home, no RN in her normal mind would like to go back to the Philippines after a few years in America. And oftentimes, a Navy man (hopefully he is really single) becomes the timely savior for these "helpless" single nurses who want to become permanent residents (green-card holders) in the United States.

When the navy man leaves the US Navy, unless he has educated himself for a higher skilled profession, his potential job outside the navy will be just a janitor, driver or postman (or the $8.00 to $15.00 per-hour jobs) while the RN wife earns approximately $15.00 to $25.00 an hour (Editor’s Note: The wage rates were for the year 2000, when Mr. Delfin wrote this article.) Overtime or double shift will be paid at least 50% more. So, the economic reality comes in, the husband will become the babysitter, the cook and drives a "BMW" (Bring Mama to Work) or simply enjoys his "anim na trabajo" meaning "UNEM'PLOYED" (sic). To afford the amenities of good living, oftentimes the RN has to work double job because the money is real good, while the "proud" (My wife is a Nurse, pare!) husband is playing hooky while the children are in school. Pretty soon because of the lack of a meaningful job and some pocket money, the husband gets addicted going to casinos or falls in love with a younger chick or a more-adventurous woman reminiscent of his navy days. And, then the Filipino RN family disintegrates! Sometimes divorce could be a better solution for these dysfunctional families. However, many times, "for the sake of the children" the wife continues to be married to her bum-husband. Doing so, however, the RN becomes a real "martyr" and suffers more!

This story due to the present socio-economic make-up of RN families happens in every hospital, a real-life drama that has scared many nice, intelligent beautiful, charming ladies NOT to marry at all. For instance, Regine Zamora (not her real name) an RN-client of mine, an epitome of beauty and brains never married because she feels that marriage will lower her standard of living as opposed to making it more satisfying and fulfilling. As I know her well, I predict she will never marry as the "good catch" has been taken, to use her own term. A conservative professional in her late 40s, Regine has a very good stable job as a DON (Director of Nursing) in a prestigious hospital in L.A and has already acquired a house and several rental properties and can easily retire in another five years. Once she confided and told me: "Ernie, I would rather be single if the man I will marry is like any of my best friends' husbands who are janitors, drivers or non-educated navy people who cannot even stimulate me mentally and cannot even carry an intelligent conversation with my other friends." As of this writing, she is not dating any man worth her salt and most likely she might not find a husband who will meet her own specifications. (QFSM = Qualified Filipino Single Men need to apply right away before she turns 50!) UNQUOTE.