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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Go backs hiring of non-licensed nursing grads; seeks advanced education for PH nurses

Go backs hiring of non-licensed nursing grads; seeks advanced education for PH nurses

Published Jun 21, 2023 02:33 am


Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Wednesday, June 21 said he supports the Department of Health’s (DOH) proposal to hire nursing graduates who fell short of passing the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam as an additional workforce in the country’s healthcare system.        Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go (Photo by O/S Sen. Bong Go)

Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said that while they may not have technically passed the exam, they can be hired to augment the healthcare workforce and create job opportunities for them. “I agree with the recommendation to grant temporary license some of these nursing graduates even if they have not technically passed the board exams,” Go said in a statement. “This will help augment our healthcare workforce, provide them jobs and more staff can respond to Filipinos in need of health care,” he added. However, Go said the tasks assigned to unlicensed nurses should be different from those who have obtained their license. “For me, the tasks that should be given them should be commensurate only with their abilities and knowledged and not at par with those of fully-licensed nurses,” he said. The senator said the DOH thoroughly study the proposal, taking into account the existing laws and regulations that uphold professional standards and safeguard the lives, safety, and well-being of the people. “We need to study this carefully because peoples lives are at stake here,” added the lawmaker. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa earlier proposed that nursing graduates who achieved a rating of 70 to 74 percent in the Nursing Licensure Exam be employed as a supplementary workforce in the healthcare system. Herbosa mentioned that Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma has endorsed the proposal and intends to hold discussions with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) regarding the issuance of temporary licenses for these nurses. But Herbosa clarified that unlicensed nurses will be assigned restricted responsibilities within government health facilities to prioritize the safety and well-being of patients. If this is the plan, Go said he sees it as a viable temporary solution to meet the country’s health needs. “But as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, our goal must be to continue improving medical education in the country to ensure enough number of qualified healthcare professionals,” Go stressed. Because of this, Go urged the Senate to fast track the approval of Senate Bill No. 191 or the Advanced Nursing Education bill, which aims to provide greater opportunities for nurses by opening up leadership roles, specialization in specific practice areas and recognition in the fields of research and advanced nursing education. "In this Advanced Nursing Education Bill, I want community integration immersion to be included in their curriculum, so that nurses can be encouraged to work here in our country," said Go during an ambush interview in Nagcarlan, Laguna. "Because our current program is focused on emigration, that's why our nurses are exhausted because the current program encourages emigration," he said.

Related Tags

Bong Go nurses licensure examination Department of Health (DOH) Nurses
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