Nurses block suggestion to scrap board exams

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) assailed the suggestion of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to abolish the licensure examinations for nurses, instead, government should give more attention to the sorry plight of nurses and other medical frontliners during the pandemic.

 PNA President Melbert Reyes said nursing board exams serve to assess competencies before they become full-fledged health professionals, while also being used to gauge the capability of nursing schools if their education system meet established government standards.

Reyes said, “Kailangan makita natin at ma-asses natin through board exam ang competencies kaya nga po di po siguro dapat na tanggalin yung board exam lalo na dito sa mga health professional dahil buhay po ang hinahawakan natin,” Reyes said.

“Yung proposal po na ‘yan mahirap intindihin. We respect his opinion, baka may reason siya, but then we disagree immediately kasi sa health professionals po kelangan po natin na i-ensure yung public na our graduates are competent enough to do their duty and responsibilities,” he added.

Sec. Bello earlier questioned the need for the professional tests and later clarified that he was not proposing to abolish board exams but only urged concerned agencies to study doing away with this requirement.

“Ang sabi niya na lang pag aralan ng PRC (Professional Regulation Commission). Para po sa amin ang dapat pag aralan ay yung kalagayan ng nurses dito sa Pilipinas,” Reyes said.

“Kung hindi man sila papasa ng board exams, gawan natin ng isang structure na kung saan pwede nating i-employ sila ng may maayos na sweldo para naman maibalik yung kanilang investment dun sa kanilang nursing course,” he added.

Only around 35% to 50% of board takers pass the professional exam, Reyes said.