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2006 NCLEX-RN Passing Rate for Internationally Educated Candidates - First Quarter Statistics







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First quarter statistics released by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) show that 2,711 filipinos have already taken the NCLEX-RN/PN examinations this year retaining the Philippines' status of being the top source of internationally-educated NCLEX-RN/PN exam candidates.

In the information released by NCSBN,
62.4% of first time internationally-educated candidates who took the NCLEX-RN examinations passed.

Those who repeated the exam had a 30.3% success rate.

CGFNS Qualifying Exam Scores Now Accessible Online






In its April 11, 2006 press release, the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) announced an enhancement on their website.

Scores in the CGFNS Qualifying exams are now accessible online.

In the past, applicants could only see if they passed or failed the Qualifying Exam upon login to their online accounts. Effective April 11, 2006, applicants are now able to view their exam scores online, in addition to being able to see their pass/fail status.

The CGFNS Qualifying exam is part of the CGFNS Certification program which is a three-part program designed to predict an applicant’s likelihood of passing the NCLEX-RN® examination

The three parts of the program include a credentials review, a Qualifying Exam of nursing knowledge, and an English language proficiency examination. Applicants must successfully complete all three parts of the Certification Program in order to earn the CGFNS Certificate.



Code of Ethics for Filipino Registered Nurses






The Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses was promulgated by the Philippine Regulatory Board of Nursing in consultation and coordination with the Philippine Nurses Association, with the Code of Good Governance for the Professions in the Philippines as primary basis, as mandated by Article III, Section 9, Subsection (f) of Republic Act 9173 to serve as ethico-legal basis in the practice of the nursing profession in the Philippines.

Sec. 9. Powers and Duties of the Board. - The Board shall supervise and regulate the practice of the nursing profession and shall have the following powers, duties and functions:

(f) Promulgate a Code of Ethics in coordination and consultation with the accredited professional organization of nurses within one year from the effectivity of this Act;

Every filipino nurse has an ethical and legal responsibility to be familiar with the salient features of the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses. Ignorance of such can lead one to lose his or her hard-earned license to practice nursing.

Sec. 23. Revocation and suspension of Certificate of Registration/Professional License and Cancellation of Special/Temporary Permit. - The Board shall have the power to revoke or suspend the certificate of registration/professional license or cancel the special/temporary permit of a nurse upon any of the following grounds:

(b) For unprofessional and unethical conduct;

(f) For violation of this Act, the rules and regulations, Code of Ethics for nurses and technical standards for nursing practice, policies of the Board and the Commission, or the conditions and limitations for the issuance of the temporarily/special permit;

To read the complete text of the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses, click
here.

Nurses Beware






There’s a saying that goes, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!” It pays to remember this saying when dealing with nurse staffing and recruitment agencies.

With the growing demand for nurses worldwide, nurse staffing and recruitment agencies have proliferated both here and abroad.

Nurse recruiters have been aggressively inviting nurses to work overseas, especially in the United States, with promises of free housing, insurance, medical and dental benefits, immigration assistance, free review and application for the CGFNS and NCLEX-RN exams, and sign-on bonuses.

Such attractive offers prove irresistible for Filipino nurses with the meagre salary and sub-standard working conditions they are currently in. However, caution must be exercised before signing up with agencies.

Complaints have been piling up in several internet nursing forums about nurse staffing and recruitment agencies not living up to their promises or are misrepresenting information.

In New York City for example, White Glove Agency is reported to be putting nine to ten people in one studio apartment with only one bathroom, one very small kitchen, and no heat in the winter.

White Glove Agency was contacted to comment on the allegation. No reply has been received as of this writing.

Another nurse recruiter, VisionQwest is reported to be misrepresenting its company as a direct hire employer.

Other complaints inlcude not informing the nurse where he or she will be assigned, giving salary rates that are way below the prevailing rates in the area, making nurses sign contracts even without a job order, and is recruiting in the Philippines without a license from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Contacted for comment, VisionQwest President & CEO Michael L. Lodge explains:

Regarding being a direct employer. “That is true we are. The contract is with VisionQwest Healthcare Services, their paycheck and benefits come from VisionQwest Healthcare Services, their direction to what facility they will be in comes from VisionQwest Healthcare Services.”

Regarding pay rates and schedules. “There is no way at the time we hire a nurse in the Philippines to the time they get to the United States where we can tell them exactly which facility they will be in. The need in our facilities change on a daily basis.”

Regarding the POEA issues. “There seems to be a good amount of misunderstanding on the role of the POEA. If we were an agency that were sending nurses to another country on a work visa for an assignement, then we would have to go through the POEA. However, since we are the direct employer, we are signing their petition for US immigrant visa, the POEA is not involved.”

Read the full statement of VisionQwest President and CEO Michael L. Lodge here.

In an effort to safeguard the public from illegal recruitment, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) came up with the following guidelines in dealing with recruiters:

  • Do not apply at recruitment agencies not licensed by POEA.
  • Do not deal with licensed agencies without job orders.
  • Do not deal with any person who is not an authorized representative of a licensed agency.
  • Do not transact business outside the registered address of the agency. If recruitment is conducted in the province, check if the agency has a provincial recruitment authority.
  • Do not pay more than the allowed placement fee. It should be equivalent to one month salary, exclusive of documentation and processing costs.
  • Do not pay any placement fee unless you have a valid employment contract and an official receipt.
  • Do not be enticed by ads or brochures requiring you to reply to a Post Office (P.O.) Box, and to enclose payment for processing of papers.
  • Do not deal with training centers and travel agencies, which promise overseas employment.
  • Do not accept a tourist visa.
  • Do not deal with fixers.

Concerned with the growing number of complaints, an American nurse who goes by the username suzanne4 in an international internet nursing forum advices foreign nurses to scrutinize their employment contracts before signing it.

“There is no such thing as a free green card. The money for it will be coming from your pocket, not the agencies. In most cases, there is about $5 per hour taken from you to cover the expenses. This works out to about $20,000 over two years. Expenses are about $4,000. You do the math.”

She adds:

Pay attention to what the cancellation fee is. If for some reason that you would need to leave your contract early, or the facility cancels you, you will be responsible for paying that fee. The document that you sign is a legally binding contract. And some contracts can be as high as $15,000 to $20,000. If your recruiter makes a promise, but it is not written into your contract, then it doesn't exist. It must be in writing and signed off by the management of the agency. And oral promise will not mean anything, especially if your recruiter is no longer working for that agency later on.”

On the other hand, suzanne4 points out that:

There are some excellent agencies out there that do what they say that they are going to do, and do not take advantage of anyone.”


Related News:
Nurses File Class Suit Against Sentosa Recruitment Agency
Over 100 Pinoy nurses exploited in UK private nursing homes




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