By Charissa Luci-Atienza
AANGAT TAYO partylist Rep. Neil Abayon is calling on the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to rationalize and upgrade the wages and benefits of new and veteran government nurses.
AANGAT TAYO partylist Rep. Neil Abayon (TWITTER / MANILA BULLETIN)
He said it is about time for the CSC to take a second look at the qualification standards for the government nurses, even as he batted for "dignified salary and benefits" for them.
"I appeal to the Civil Service Commission en banc to update and level-up the qualification standards for new and veterans nurses in government," Abayon said in a statement.
As provided for by the 1987 Constitution and the Administrative Code of 1987, the CSC sets the qualification standards in the civil service.
"If the CSC does not take action, I will then file a bill so Congress can directly intervene in rationalizing, updating, and upgrading the qualification standards for nurses and other Filipino professionals," Abayon, who is a nurse by profession, said.
Citing the Department of Health (DOH), the ideal nurse to patient ratio is 1:12.
"Pero hindi po ganyan ang sitwasyon sa mga government hospitals. Sa Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center halimbawa, ang nurse to patient ratio sa male surgical ward is 2:59 habang 2:64 naman sa women surgical ward gayundin sa stroke unit. Sa NKTI kung saan may 25 hanggang 35 na pasyente sa regular ward, dalawang nurses lamang ang umaasikaso. Ganyan po ang trabaho ng isang nurse. On top of that, exposed pa sila sa iba't ibang sakit,” the deputy minority leader said.
He said the salary and benefits of the government nurses should also be upgraded.
"Being the primary caregivers of the patients who do the 'dirty work' in the patient care relationship they should be given the respect that they deserve and the matching dignified salary and benefits," Abayon said.
"Hindi po basta-basta ang trabaho ng isang nurse. Imagine 1 nurse taking care of 50 to 80 patients. That's according to the Laban Nurses Movement. Again, the DOH nurse to patient ratio is 1 nurse for every 12 patients," he pointed out.