Approval Sheet

Acknowledgement
Our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation are given to the following
people who have inspired us for the completion of this research study.
To our ever supportive parents, for undyingly loving, guiding and
helping us morally and financially throughout the semester as we pursue our
goals to become professional and competent nurses and nurse-researcher.
To our cheerful and inspirational friends, who without them, our
journey would have been very daunting.
To our adviser, Dr. Violeta B. Juan, for sharing her knowledge and
expertise in the field of research.
To the Administrators and Chief Nurses of Bethel Baptist Hospital,
Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center, Saint Judes Medical Center, and
Malaybalay Polymedic General Hospital, for allowing us to conduct our study
to their staff nurses.
To the very cooperative BSU Registered Nurses of Bethel Baptist
Hospital, Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center, Saint Judes Medical Center,
and Malaybalay Polymedic General Hospital, who have actively participated
in this study.
To our college, College of Nursing, headed by our dean, Dr. Bernarda
C. Lleno, for allowing us nursing students to conduct this study.

And above all, to our Almighty God who blessed and who continuously
blesses us from above.
To God be all the glory!

Dedication

Abstract
Nursing is considered as one of the oversubscribed courses in the
Philippines leading to an oversupply of graduates. The overall goal of this
study was to determine the perceptions, experiences, and coping strategies
towards acquiring a job by the Registered Nurses. Samples were drawn
purposively from the list of BSU RN graduates who graduated and passed
the licensure examination from year 2008 to 2013 and who are residing at
Malaybalay City. The respondents were given a structured open-ended
questionnaire by the researchers. The study found out that the themes
evident in the perceptions of the unemployed RNs towards acquiring a job
were: (1) acquiring a nursing job is tough and is only for the determined,
and (2) acquiring a nursing job would mean acquiring a low salary for a
noble job; and for the employed registered nurses: (1) acquiring a nursing
job is a competition; (2) acquiring a job would justify all the costs of nursing
school, were the two evident themes. For the unemployed RNs experiences
towards acquiring a job, the two supersaturated themes were: (1) rejection
from their first attempt to employment and, and (2) being robbed out of the
opportunity due to biases; and (1) being hired on the first attempt to
employment and (2) still, being robbed out of the opportunity due to
biases, for the employed ones. (1) Compensation, and (2) rationalization
were the two evident themes for the unemployed RNs coping strategies
towards acquiring a job, and, (1) always thinking positively, and (2) divine

intervention, for the employed. Several recommendations include: (1) the

use of one or a combination of the following techniques: participant
observation,

key

informant

interview,

focus

group

discussion,

direct

observation, and in depth-analysis of a single case; and (2) to cover broader

scope of respondents aside from Malaybalay City.

List of Figures

Table of Contents
APPPROVAL SHEET ............................................................................ i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT......................................................................... ii
DEDICATION .................................................................................... iii
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................... iv
LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................. v
TABLE OF CONTENTS .....................................................................vi
CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE ...................................................... ....
1
Theoretical Framework ....................................................................
6
Statement of the Problem ....................................................................
9
Significance of the Study ......................................................................
9
Scope and Limitation of the Study ........................................................
10
Definition of Terms ............................................................................
11
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND RELATED STUDIES .. 13

CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................17
CHAPTER 4
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA .................. 20
CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..............................34
LINE ITEM BUDGET .......................................................................... 37
GANTT CHART ................................................................................. 38
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................ 39
Books ............................................................................................. 39
Published Works ............................................................................... 39
Unpublished Works .................................................................. . 39
Journals .......................................................................................... 40
Internet .......................................................................................... 40
APPENDIX A. Questionnaire................................................................ 41
APPENDIX B. Letter of Request to Conduct the Study ............................ 43
APPENDIX C. Documentation ............................................................. 44
CURRICULUM VITAE ......................................................................... 46