Pinoy R.N.

News of Leakage, West Negros College Irregularities, and IELTS Fraud Alarms CGFNS

Posted by Lyle, RN

Pinoy R.N. today got hold of a communication sent out by Donna Rae Richardson JD, RN, Director for Governmental Affairs and Professional Standards of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) to US State Boards of Nursing, US Department of Homeland Security, IELTS, and other nursing stakeholders detailing the recent issues affecting nurse licensure regulation as well as irregularities in the conduct of IELTS examinations in the Philippines.

Nursing licensure concerns mentioned in the communication included the overloading of academic units and related learning experience (RLE) hours of students from West Negros College. It also scored the mass resignation of members of the CHED nursing technical committee and the alleged leakage in the recently concluded June 2006 Nurse Licensure Examination.

The communication, sent out last July 19, 2006 narrated the irregularities discovered by United Kingdom’s Nurse and Midwifery Council (NMC) on the conduct of IELTS english proficiency exam in the country. Irregularities mentioned included impersonation and fabrication of fraudulent IELTS test scores.

In view of the irregularities, the CGFNS has implemented stricter guidelines in the screening and verification of applicants’ documents coming from the Philippines.

Oathtaking for Nurses Postponed

Posted by Lyle, RN

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) today announced the postponement of the scheduled August 22, 2006 oathtaking of new nurses pending the resolution of the investigation being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation on the alleged leakage of questions in the recently concluded nursing board exam.

The decision came after Eufemia Octaviano, board of nursing chairperson, met with the nursing deans of University of Sto. Tomas (UST), University of the East(UE), and University of the Philippines(UP).

Retrogression in October 2006

Posted by Lyle, RN

Unless the immigration bill approved by the US senate removing limit on nurse visas is signed into law by US President George W. Bush, retrogression on nurse visas is likely to happen this October.

This means that all petitions beyond the cut-off date will be frozen until all pending petitions are processed and new visa numbers are appropriated.

The visa bulletin, released a few days ago, summarized the availability of immigrant numbers during August. Section F of the bulletin carried the following information:

A total of 50,000 numbers were provided for use in the Schedule A (EX) visa category which was established last May 2005. Visa demand in this category is approaching that limit, and may require the establishment of a cut-off date as early as October. Once all 50,000 numbers have been made available under the current limitation, processing under this category will end.

Source: US State Department Visa Bulletin

Information posted at the website of US immigration attorneys, IVENER & FULLMER LLP approximated that 37,000 of the 50,000 Schedule A numbers have been allocated with current usage of 2,700 to 2,800 per month.

PRC Identifies Leakage Source in Release of Nursing Exam Results

Posted by Lyle, RN

The Professional Regulation Commission identified the two (2) board members who leaked the test questions as Anesia B. Dionisio and Virginia D. Madeja as they released the results of the controversial nurse licensure examination conducted last June 11-12, 2006.

DOWNLOAD Nurse Licensure Exam Results:

click here (download 1) or here (download 2)

PRC Considering Nursing Board Exam Re-Take

Posted by Lyle, RN

Professional Regulation Commission chairperson Leonor Tripon-Rosero on Friday announced the possibility of nullifying the recent June board examinations for Nurses conducted last June 11-12, 2006.

Repeating the nursing board is exam is an option according to the PRC chair.

A fact-finding committee on Thursday found evidence implicating two board of nursing members in the much publicized leakage.

Roughly 42,000 nursing graduates took the Nurse Licensure Examination last month in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legaspi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga.

Copyright ® Pinoy R.N. Up-to-date Nursing News, Information, Articles and Online Forum for Filipino Nurses and Student Nurses.

PRC: Two Board Members Leaked Questions

Posted by Lyle, RN

The Professional Regulation Commission today confirmed that two (2) members of the Board of Nursing leaked questions in the recently concluded Nurse Licensure Examination.

In a report signed by PRC Chairperson Leonor Tripon-Rosero and commissioners Avelina de la Rea and Renato Valdecantos, administrative and criminal charges were recommended against the two (2) unnamed Board of Nursing members.

The PRC has asked the two (2) to inhibit themselves from the processing and release of the June 11-12 Nurse Licensure Examination results.

A separate investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation will be initiated to determine criminal liabilities and for the filing of appropriate charges.

Rumors of a leakage in the nursing exam spread like wildfire in recent weeks prompting the PRC to form a fact-finding committee to investigate the allegation. A prominent review center was implicated along with several nursing schools.

Exam results will be released next week.

Copyright ® Pinoy R.N. Up-to-date Nursing News, Information, Articles and Online Forum for Filipino Nurses and Student Nurses.