The Filipino Nurses United (FNU) has rejected the proposal to abolish the licensure examinations for nurses, saying it is “perilous for people’s health” especially during this time of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“As health professionals who handle (the) health and lives of communities and patients, nurses should have relevant and adequate training that would develop the competencies needed,” the FNU said in a statement.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III had floated the idea of abolishing licensure examinations for nurses and other professions.
The nurses' group emphasized that nurses deal with the health and lives of patients and communities unlike other professions such as lawyers and engineers. “Human error or omission is critical to human safety, prolonging life and survival,” it said.
“Although FNU believes that licensure examination is not the only barometer for quality of nursing education, the government has to have a mechanism to ensure and maintain the standards of health care practice,” it said.
“People deserve quality health care and should not be compromised with lowering of standards by the government instead of having a political will to provide adequate, well- trained and well- compensated health professionals like nurses,” it added.