95,282 nurses to take board exam this Nov.

MANILA, Philippines—A total of 95,282 nursing graduates will take the nurse licensure examinations scheduled on November 29 to 30, an “all-time high” in the history of the exams, said Marco Antonio Sto. Tomas, a member of the Professional Regulation Commission’s Board of Nursing.

Another 51 with “conditioned” status are also scheduled to take the exams for failing in some of the five subjects in past exams, said Sto. Tomas, also the concurrent information officer of the board.

The biggest number of examinees will come from Metro Manila (40,621 first-timers, 33 conditioned); Baguio (14,102 first-timers, 7 conditioned); Cebu (8,899 first-timers, 5 conditioned); Cagayan De Oro (3,045 first-timers, 2 conditioned); Davao (8,143 first-timers, 2 conditioned); Iloilo (6,020); Legaspi (3,070 first-timers, 1 conditioned); Lucena (3,444); Tacloban (1,145); Tuguegarao (2,322 first-timers, 1 conditioned); Zamboanga (1,609); Jolo (166); Pagadian (1,568); Angeles (179); and Butuan (898).

The number of nursing graduates taking the board exam has steadily increased over the years. Citing board figures from June 2003, Sto. Tomas said the number of examinees this November surpasses the 88,649 who took the exam November 2008.

A total of 7,993 examinees took the exam in June 2003; 7,632 in December 2003; almost doubled to 13,225 in June 2004; dipped slightly to 12,100 in December 2004; more than doubled to 26,000 in June 2005; dipped again to 24,287 in December 2005.

At the controversial June 2006 exam, which was marred with findings of leaked questions, the number of examinees again almost doubled to 42,006.

A total of 40,147 took the exam in December 2006; almost doubling to 78,583 in June 2007; dipped to 67,728 in December 2007; further dipped to 64,459 in November 2008; increased again in June 2009 before reaching this November’s record number of examinees.

Sto. Tomas noted that since 2003, the passing rate in these exams has hovered between 40 percent and 50 percent. He said this should force nursing schools to better their standards as the exams test only the “minimum competencies” of entry-level nurses.

“There is much to be desired at the ‘production lines if we were to consider our national ‘health human resource’ strategies and these concerns goes back to the Colleges of Nursing under the direction supervision of the Commission on Higher Education,” he said.

Sto. Tomas also pointed that despite the low passing rate, jobs inside and outside the country remain scarce for new graduates, as most employers require one to two years of actual work experience.

Employers do not need “the useless ‘volunteer’ work where our nursing graduates are even being ask to pay and yet being utilized as human resource complements in hospitals and other health facilities,” he said.

Sto Tomas thus urged the nursing sector to take active steps and put in place the necessary “health, human resource, and career development infrastructures” to better the standing of all nurses, including new nursing board passers.

“It’s time that we see the nursing sector itself enable and help make Filipino nurses’ dreams come true—buy a home, take a great vacation with their loved ones after three years of hard work, put their children through school and have them finish college, and retire in the comforts of their homes with their loved ones, sharing the thought that nurses have not only earned for themselves but cared and served a lot of their fellow Filipinos through nursing and health, and have become true blessings not only to Filipinos but the rest of the world,” he said.

Dress Code for Examinees in the Nurse Licensure Examination

The Professional Regulation Commission - Board of Nursing (PRC-BoN) recently issued a memo amending its previous memo prescribing dress codes for examinees in the Nursing Board Exam.In the new memo sent to PRC regional offices, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) and to Presidents and Deans of Nursing Schools, Colleges, and Universities -- Examinees to the November 2009 Nursing Board Exam are advised observe the following dress code when taking the licensure...

Dress Code Memo - November 2009 Nursing Board Exam

Pinoy nurses seeking US jobs plunge 21%

The number of Filipino nurses that indicated their desire to seek employment in America by taking that country’s nursing licensure examination plunged by 21.38 percent in the nine months to September this year, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) reported Thursday.

Former Senator and TUCP secretary-general Ernesto Herrera said a total of 11,854 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time from January to September 2009, a decrease of 3,225 compared to the 15,079 that took the test in the same nine-month period in 2008.

On account of its economic decline, America has lost some of its allure as a land of greener pasture for foreign nurses and other highly skilled professionals, according to Herrera, former chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

"The confidence of foreign workers in America’s economic supremacy has clearly been shaken by the staggering job losses there," Herrera said.

A total of 7.6 million Americans have lost their jobs since the start of the U.S. recession in December 2007. Since then, the number of unemployed Americans has doubled to 15.1 million, with the national jobless rate at 9.8 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Herrera said that in the July to September quarter alone, only 3,582 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time, down 1,660 or 31.66 percent versus the 5,242 that took the test in the same quarter in 2008.

The continued decline in the number of Filipino nurses seeking to practice their profession in America comes even after the establishment of an NCLEX testing center in Manila, which has made it easier for them to take the examination, Herrera pointed out. Prior to the establishment of the local test center, Filipino nurses had to travel overseas to take the NCLEX in Hong Kong, Guam or elsewhere.

The NCLEX refers to US National Council (of State Boards of Nursing) Licensure Examinations for registered and practical nurses. In the whole of 2008, a total of 20,746 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time. This was down 3.5 percent compared to the 21,299 Filipino nurses that took the test for the first time in 2007.

Filipinos still account for four out of every 10 foreign nurses seeking to enter the US nursing profession.

The aggregate remittances of Filipino workers in America, including some 200,000 nurses, fell by $635 million or 11.84 percent to $4.731 billion in the seven months to August this year compared to $5.366 billion over the same period in 2008, according to Herrera.

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Sentosa ordered to pay nurses $186,372

MANILA, Philippines — The National Labor Relations Committee has overturned the decision of the executive labor arbiter and ordered Sentosa enterprises to pay the nurses actual damages of $186,372 (about P8.7 million) after finding that the employer “constructively discharged” the nurses, it was learned Tuesday.

The decision, dated September 25 this year, was received by the so-called Sentosa 27++ October 8.

The NLRC decision found that the nurses’ complaints of their “working conditions, difficult working relationship with administration, delayed/underpayment payment of salaries and other benefits” went unheeded, “even when complainants wrote respondents that they intend to quit their jobs.”

“The delayed salaries and diminution in pay, coupled with the uncaring and indifferent attitude on the part of the respondents, brought about feelings of oppression and created an adverse working environment, making it unacceptable for the employees to continue
working for respondents.”

The three commissioners of NLRC’s First Division unanimously found that the resignation of the nurses was in reality “not a choice, but a situation created by respondents, thus their severance from employment amounted to constructive dismissal.”

“We lend credence to complainants’ assertion that there was substantial breach in their employment contracts”, further ruled the NLRC.

But the nurses’ advocate in the United States Rico Foz said justice has not been served by this decision.

“The meat of the nurses’ complaints—the substantive issues of these cases—was not properly addressed by the NLRC to the satisfaction of the nurses,” said Foz, executive vice president of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (Nafcon) and one of the lead conveners of the US-based Justice for Sentosa 27++ Campaign.

In the United States, the claims and counterclaims of breach of contract filed against each side by the Sentosa Enterprise and by the nurses remain pending before Justice Bucaria of the New York Supreme Court in Nassau County. Trial is expected to commence sometime early next year.

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Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing 50th Founding Anniversary and Annual Convention at the historic landmark Manila Hotel on October 13-15, 2009


With more than 350 nursing schools in the country and with the demand for nursing professionals abroad, the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing (ADPCN) plays an important role in assuring the quality of the nursing education, from the undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.

An association established in 1959, the ADPCN has collaborated with the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) in reviewing and revising the curricula so that the competencies required of nurses in other countries will be covered and the full crediting of degrees obtained locally in as many countries possible will be achieved.

The ADPCN, celebrates its golden anniversary with the holding of its Annual Convention on October 13-15, 2009 at the historic landmark Manila Hotel with the theme “ADPCN @ 50: Milestones and Breakthroughs.” A highlight of the convention will be the launching of a Golden Jubilee book and a testimonial to ADPCN leaders and partners. Distinguished speakers will present scholarly papers on fiscal management in nursing administration, mentoring in a teaching-learning environment, and global opportunities for resource management, among others. An interactive session will be held with the Board of Nursing of the Professional Regulations Commission.

We congratulate the Association of Deans of Philippines Colleges of Nursing, led by its President, Dean Carmelita C. Divinagracia, the Over-all Convention Chair, Dean Leonora N. Reyes, other Officers and Members, on the occasion of their 50th Founding Anniversary and Annual Convention. We wish them success in all their endeavors.

Nurses can now serve foreign patients via the Internet

MANILA, Philippines - Nurses who cannot be employed overseas due to lack of working visas can now serve foreign patients through the world’s first borderless healthcare knowledge process outsourcing (kpo) here in the country.

During yesterday’s press conference at Ascott Makati, Dr. Wei Siang Yu founder of the FlyFreeForHealth announced that he will be investing $2 to $4 million here for two kpo centers.

Data showed that there are 20,000 new nurses yearly and as of 2008, the number of unemployed nurses has already reached 400,000.

The two centers which will open simultaneously will be located in Pasay and Davao. “The Philippines will be a major center for us,” Wei said.

The Davao facility will employ 100 nurses while the Pasay center will have 50 nurses in the next six months.

Wei said that they are closely coordinating with the five major hospitals in the country including The Asian Hospital and St. Lukes.

Wei explained that the nurses will act as medical butlers who can attend to the needs of patients worldwide through the Internet. He explained that the country will be the hub for its medical services as 50 percent of the work will be done in the Philippines.

The Life-Stage Communication (LSC) will provide design, implementation and management of solutions for the everyday challenges faced by medical institutions and service providers.

“These initiative will kick-start the transformation process for the current system of exporting healthcare human resource,” Wei said.

“Filipino health professionals are well positioned to discover and tap into new opportunities like Medical Concierge Management, Borderless Multi-Disciplinary Management and Borderless Collaborative Care in the healthcare industry today,” Wei added.

The convergence of technology, global value chain management as well as the development of new hybrid vocations like the medical butler in medical tourism has made the evolution of healthcare business process outsourcing.

LSC’s lifestage-complaint health solutions and patient’s communications will allow hospitals to move away from the earlier models of healthcare business process outsourcing like medical transcription and payment processing.

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700 barangays in R-11 benefit from PCSO free medical service

Davao City (9 September) -- Around 700 barangays in Davao Region benefited last Sunday from the nationwide medical and dental mission dubbed as "100 Percent in One Day" of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The medical and dental mission in Davao Region was done in more than 30 cluster-sites where residents of nearby barangays availed of the health service project that PCSO had designed in line with its 75th anniversary.

The project conducted in a single day on September 06 was targeted to cover the 41,955 barangays nationwide.

Beneficiaries interviewed during the mission were grateful that free medical assistance was being offered at venues where they could readily avail saying it was a big help for them in the midst of rising cost of medical services.

In an interview with the Nation Broadcasting Network (NBN), Municipal Mayor Marcelino Perandos of Carmen, Davao del Norte conveyed his thanks to President Gloria Arroyo and to the PCSO for bringing down much-needed services of the poor.

In Panabo City, elements of the 69th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under the 10th Infantry Division participated in the medical mission that was conducted along with a medical mission at the ARF Gym.

Commanding officer Major Eligio Balao of the 69th IB cited the medical mission as a message for people to know that the military much wanted to establish peace and to attend to social concerns.

The one-day health service project of the PCSO also involved feeding and information-gathering regarding patients who would like to seek financial assistance from PCSO.

The project brought on field nationwide some 100,000 volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists, health workers, other medical professionals, barangay health workers and other concerned individuals from the government and the private sectors Aside from general checkups, minor surgeries like the removal of cataracts and lumps, dental services, eye examinations, bone scan and ear check monitor were made available in selected medical mission sites located in government hospitals and rural clinics.

Free Medicines distributed to patients at the sites included amoxicillin drops, capsules and suspension; metropolol tablets; mefenamic acid, paracetamol drops and tablets; and ascorbicdrops, tablets and syrups.

"This is a first-of-its- kind project in the Philippines that provides fast access to medical and charity care from PCSO and its partners to poor Filipinos all over the country in one day," explains PCSO General Manager and Vice Chair Rosario Uriarte.

This year's celebration has the theme "Honoring our Heroes in Republic Service, Responsive, Ethical Public Servants with Vision, Integrity, Commitment and Excellence."

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Pinoys to contest UK rules on migrant carers

MANILA, Philippines — Are overseas migrant workers eligible to apply for permanent settlement after five years of continued stay in the United Kingdom even if there are gaps in their employment and stay in the UK due to changing UK migration policies?

Yes, according to an alliance of Filipino migrant organizations in the UK. And Kanlungan is set “to file a legal challenge at the British High Court to obtain a definitive ruling on the issue.”

In a statement issued from the UK, Kanlungan chairman Benny Clutario said the UK Border Agency which is in charge of migration issues has been turning down such applications from thousands of overseas senior care workers who have gaps in their visas.

Clutario pointed out that the UK Border Agency should not be refusing these applications because the gaps were a direct result of retrospective changes in immigration rules between 2006 and 2008, and not because of any violation of immigration laws by migrant workers.

He said his organization is seeking a judicial review (a type of court proceeding in the UK judicial system in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body) on the issue.

"When migrants lose their visas, this does not automatically result in all these workers leaving the country. It almost certainly translates into a significant number of workers staying in the UK as undocumented migrants. Sadly, they become undocumented not by choice but because of misguided policies and mismanaged immigration," he said.

Kanlungan thus called on senior care workers who have experienced gaps in their visas due to changes in immigration rules to come forward and provide evidence.

"The more senior carers involved in this legal action, the better the chance for success," Clutario stressed.

Kanlungan member-organizations include Bahay Kubo Housing Association, Lingap, Philippine Theatre UK, Kadamay UK, and Migrante UK.

The changing UK rules

In 2006, the UK government changed the requirement for applying for permanent settlement from four years to five years, and applied this retrospectively to all migrants. Thousands of senior care workers were caught by this change and had to re-apply for an extension of their work permit and visa for at least another year.

In 2007, the UK government imposed new requirements for renewals of work permits and visas for senior care workers, requiring them to have skills and qualifications at National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 which is roughly equivalent to a university degree and a minimum salary of 7.02 pounds per hour. As a result, over 3,500 work permits of senior care workers were not renewed.

The new rules were challenged by Kanlungan and other migrant organizations and trade unions in Britain. So in 2008, the UK Border Agency issued transitional measures. The following concessions were granted:

* Those senior care workers who had their work permits approved prior to December 31, 2003, and who remained with the same employer for their existing work permit, would be granted an exceptional extension for a maximum of 12 months, provided the permit holder had not left the United Kingdom. The skills criteria and the required salary of 7.02 pounds would be waived.

* Those who had arrived in the UK after December 31, 2003 (and who had not left the UK), would only have the skills criteria waived. Work permit renewals with the same employer or with a new employer would still require that the employer pay them 7.02 pounds per hour.

In March 2008, the government gave further concessions for those who had lost their jobs, their work permits, and their leave to remain due to the rule changes. They issued guidelines allowing them to apply for a new work permit, with employers paying 7.02 pounds per hour, as long as the application was made within six months of the date they lost their right to remain in the UK.

Many senior care workers, with gaps in their visas within their five years of stay in the UK, have tried to apply for indefinite leave to remain. However, they have been refused by the Home Office and were told that they should fill the gaps in their visas and re-apply when these gaps have been completed. Then again, there are some who until now have not managed to get new employers willing to pay them 7.02 pounds an hour and who are therefore, now here as undocumented migrants.

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Filipino nurses eye UK, Middle East markets

Filipino nurses are reportedly choosing other countries over the United States for employment.

“The deepening recession in America has clearly diminished the desire of some Filipino nurses to seek employment there,” said former senator Ernesto Herrera, secretary general of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

Herrera said that a total of 8,272 Filipino nurses sought to practice their profession in the US by taking the National Council Licensure Examination or NCLEX for the first time from January to June.

The figure, according to Herrera, was 1,565 fewer compared to the 9,837 who took the exam in the same six-month period in 2008.

Pinoy nurses are reportedly trying out other foreign labor markets particularly the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

“Actually, fewer nurses from India, Korea, Canada and Cuba are seeking US jobs as well,” Herrera said.

Nurses from India who took the NCLEX for the first time in the first semester were down 56 percent (to 750 from 1,715). Those from South Korea were down 35 percent (to 613 from 934); from Canada down 36 percent (to 314 from 494); and from Cuba down 38 percent (to 192 from 309).

The TUCP said that the four countries are the other top suppliers of foreign nurses to America.

In the whole of 2008, there were a total of 20,746 Filipino nurses who took the NCLEX for the first time or down 3.5 percent compared to the 21,299 Pinoy nurses that took the test for the first time in 2007.

Filipino accounted for 37 percent of the 22,500 foreign-educated nurses who took the NCLEX for the first time in the first semester, according to Herrera.

The Philippines now has some 600,000 nurses actively looking for jobs here and abroad, or forced to perform work outside their profession. They include the 99,837 who passed the local nursing licensure examinations from July 2008 to July 2009.

The government tapped 10,000 of the Filipino nurses and deployed them under the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS). It allows nurses to serve in the country’s depressed municipalities for six months in return for a monthly allowance of P8,000.

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