Board exam non-passers can work as nursing assistants
PRC announced that they will be under the supervision of registered and licensed nurses
By MB Lifestyle
\(File image MB\|PNA\)
Nursing graduates who have yet to pass the licensure examination could work as nursing assistants, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said. PRC Commissioner Jose Cueto Jr. said hiring non-board passers is part of the earlier pronouncement of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. They will be under the supervision and responsibility of registered and licensed nurses and their tasks, including the limitations of their practice, will be defined. Cueto admitted that hiring of nursing assistants would not replace the seasoned nurses leaving to seek better pay abroad. Nurses who are experienced in the emergency room, operating room, recovery room, and intensive care unit are often recruited in other countries. Department of Health (DOH) data as of 2021 show that about 50 percent of 600,000 nurses with active licenses are migrant nurses. Currently, the DOH offers a salary grade 15 (P33,000 to P35,000) for nurses.*(PNA)*