Skip to main content

DOLE Secretary proposes practical nursing license for board exam flunkers

I didn't know Labor Secretary Arturo Brion could crack a joke, not until I read the news from gmanews.tv about his proposal to give practical nursing licenses to those who would fail the recent June 2007 nursing licensure exams.

If I were a practical nurse, I'd be insulted. At least in the US, they have separate exams for nurses and practical nurses. I hope Brion is not even half-serious about his proposal to turn the practical nursing profession into a basketcase of nurse flunkers.

In the first place, what is Brion thinking? I suppose he wants to make practical nurses out of all flunkers, not just those who are with the June 2006 batch who re-took the exams, since he says only half of the 78,000 who sat for the test are expected to make the cut. The June 2006 batch have a different set of hurdles that they should overcome, but first-timers and non-June 2006 examinees don't need Brion's condescension.

Whether or not a nursing applicant from the Philippines gets a local license, he's still eligible to apply for a nursing registration in the US. Other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and Middle East states, among others, do require local registration, but if you're hoping to work in the US, then a local license is not a prerequisite in most US states. Provided visas are available again, nurse applicants only need to pass the NCLEX-RN and get a Visascreen to get a shot at the US labor market.

More significantly, there seems to be no practical nursing course being offered locally that's recognized by US authorities. So even if you make practical nurses out of the flunkers, it wouldn't enhance their employability a bit.

Suppose, God forbid, an examinee flunks the June 2007 exam, he doesn't need to sulk and become a practical nurse instead, just like what Brion wants. My grade school teacher definitely had better motivation skills that our country's labor chief. "If you want a chocolate--and you don't get it in your first try--don't settle for just any other candy," I remember being told when I was nine and my teacher was giving out chocolates for perfect quiz scores.

I personally know some people who flunked at their first crack of the nursing exams but came out topnotchers in their second try. Flunkers don't need to be mis-directed from their goals of becoming nurses, they need to be motivated to surpass their own efforts. So, if you really want the chocolate, don't settle for Brion's offer of a candy.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Very well said Geof, Mabuhay ka! Loser siguro yan si Brion, pwes dapat wala siya jan sa pwesto niya kung ganun siya.
little flower said…
thanks for this...my anxiety level increases everytime i think of the NLE results which will come out in a few weeks. i hope i made it!

Popular posts from this blog

//How To// Applying for a license in New Zealand

Filipino nurses who wish to register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand must show proof that they are registered with the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) of the Philippines as a nurse and they must either 1) have completed an assessment program or 2) have earned a qualification equivalent to a New Zealand nursing qualification. Only a nursing degree earned from an Australian nursing school is deemed equivalent to a NZ nursing qualification, so unless you have the money to enroll in Australia or NZ, the best route to take is the 6-week competency assessment program. To simplify the application process, here's what you need to do: 1. Take the IELTS. A band of 7 on all parts of the exam is required by the NZ Nursing Council. An average of 7, with scores below 7 in any part will not qualify you for registration. You must consistently score at least 7 in all parts--reading, listening, writing and speaking. 2. Once you have the IELTS, contact the NZ Nursing Council. You wil

(Updated) Pearson Vue's Manila testing center contact info

Pearson Vue today will begin scheduling services for the NCLEX-RN exam in its Manila testing center. Here's the contact information for the Manila center: Pearson Professional Centers-Manila, Philippines Telephone: +63 2 887 2198 Address: 27th Floor, Trident Tower 312 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Manila The number listed above has now been updated and is the official number of the Pearson office in Manila. If you can't reach this number, you may try other Pearson Vue hotlines: * The Asia-Pacific call center (based in Australia): +612-94785400 * You may try this number as well: 1280061294785400 (The prefix 1 and 2 might be for int'l dialing, so you can replace it with your use your provider's int'l dialing instructions, for ex. +1 or +001, etc.) * You can also try this: 1800-1110-0796 loc 3 (Contributed by Kokeshi) * Chicago, Illinois office: 312-525-3667 or 312-525-3600 (submitted by a reader) You can see a map of the Pearson Vue testing