Second Update on the Certificate of Registration of June 2007 NLE Passers

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Manila office recently announced that Registered Nurses with surnames A to Z of the June 2007 Nurse Licensure Examination may now claim their Board Certificates (Certificate of Registration) from the Registration Division of PRC Manila.

Nurses who are registered in the regional offices of PRC and those who failed to submit the required photograph and brown envelopes are advised to wait until further notice.

Registered Nurses must bring their PRC License Card along with a photocopy (front/back of license) to the Registration Division to claim their Board Certificates. No further fees will be collected.

All other inquiries may be coursed through the PRC Registration Division at telephone number (02) 736-2248.

(Submitted by Noel Bańez through e-mail. Thanks!)

Related Link:

First Update on the Certificate of Registration of June 2007 NLE Passers

Tentative Schedule of PNA-Accredited Seminars (July - December 2008)

The Committee of Continuing Education of the Philippine Nurses Association has released its tentative schedule of seminars for the second half of the year.

Upcoming seminars scheduled for next month are as follows:

Date                          TOPICS
            
July 4         Lung Disease: Focus on Asthma
              8:00 am – 12:00 nn
              On-Site Registration
              Registration Fee: Php 300.00 Member
                                Php 350.00 Non-Member


July 11-12   Nursing Skills Fair
               8:00 am - 5:00 pm
               Pre-Registration
               Registration Fee: Php 1,500 Member
                                 Php 1,700 Non-Member


July 18        Rheumatic Heart Disease
               8:00 am – 12:00 nn
               On-Site Registration
               Registration Fee: Php 300.00 Member
                                 Php 350.00 Non-Member


July 25         Looking Beyond the Vital Signs:
               Comprehensive Assessment
               8:00 am – 12:00 nn
               On-Site Registration
               Registration Fee: Php 300.00 Member
                                 Php 350.00 Non-Member

Complete schedule of seminars (July -December 2008) is available HERE.

Anyone who wishes to attend these seminars is advised to confirm at least one day before the published dates as schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

Further inquiries and confirmation may be coursed through Mr. Nicole at tel. nos. 400-4430 / 536-1888 / 521-0937. The fees are inclusive of certificates only. Venue for all seminars will be in the PNA Auditorium at 1663 F.T. Benitez Street, Malate, Manila

Thanks to Noel Banez for the heads up.

Passing Grades in the Special Nursing Retake Required in British Columbia, Canada

Passing scores in the voluntary special nursing exam retake, administered last year simultaneously with the June and December Nurse Licensure Examinations, is not just a U.S. CGFNS VisaScreen requirement afterall as Canada's British Columbia also requires the same from June 2006 nurse applicants seeking licensure and employment in British Columbia.

The Department of Labor (DoLE) and the Professional Regulation Commission have always maintained that failing or simply not taking the voluntary special nursing exam retake will not affect the status of the license of June 2006 nurses as the voluntary exam retake was simply meant to enhance their "employability" abroad.

The Labor department, on its website, added that those who failed will simply not qualify for U.S. VisaScreen Certificate issued by the US Commission on Graduates of a Foreign Nursing School (CGFNS).

The DoLE statement is correct but not entirely accurate as failing the special retake also meant disqualification from prospective licensure and subsequent employment in Canada's British Columbia.

This was learned by Pinoy R.N. after a nurse who applied for licensure in the Canadian province shared with this blogger a copy of the letter by the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) requiring the submission of passing scores in the special retake prior to being made eligible.

The nurse added that a few other Canadian provinces also have the same requirement.

Out of the 17,821 examinees who passed the compromised June 2006 Nurse Licensure Examination, only 9,927 nurses successfully passed the special retake of the nursing board exams administered by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in June and December last year.

Some of the June 2006 Nurses opted not to retake the exams in the hopes of seeking employment elsewhere like Canada as the special exam retake was largely viewed back then as a U.S.-only requirement.

July 2008 Visa Bulletin Released; Nurse Visa Category Becomes Unavailable

RETROGRESSION UPDATE

As projected in a Pinoy R.N. report last month, the employment-based 3rd preference (EB3) visa numbers for the month of July are unavailable according to the State Department's most recent visa bulletin (July 2008). The unavailability of the visa numbers for the category where filipino registered nurses belong will persist until the new fiscal year begins in October.

Meanwhile, the Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act or HR5924 is gaining momentum in the United States congress with ten (10) congressmen co-sponsoring the bill.

HR5924, among others, seeks to lift the current visa backlog (retrogression) by removing the limit on the number of visas that can be issued to nurses.

Formal hearing on the proposed legislation by the subcommittee on immigration, citizenship, refugees, border security, and international law is scheduled on June 12, Thursday.

Understanding the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) was started in January 1, 2000 with four participating states: Utah, Maryland, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Eight years after the first four member states adopted this interstate compact, a total of 22 states have enacted and implemented the NLC. By July of this year, Rhode Island will be the newest participating state pending its implementation of the NLC.

The NLC utilizes the mutual recognition model of nurse licensure. This allows the nurse to have one license (in his/her state of residency) and practice in other participating states, subject to each state's nursing practice laws and discipline. Simply put, the nurse is allowed to practice nursing across state lines.

Obtaining a license to practice nursing in any of the Nurse Licensure Compact participating states means that a nurse has greater mobility in terms of nursing practice as he or she can now practice nursing in any compact state without the need to obtain an additional license.

For example, if a nurse's state of licensure is New Mexico, he or she can practice nursing in the state of Utah or Wisconsin (both are party to the NLC) without the need to obtain licensure by endorsement to the states of Utah and Wisconsin.

This multistate licensure privilege is not available to nurses registered in non-NLC states such as Vermont as a nurse who is licensed to practice in Vermont is only allowed to practice in that state. If the said nurse wants to practice nursing in other states such Connecticut or California, he or she must seek licensure by endorsement to the states of Connecticut and/or California to be able to do so.

The Nurse Licensure Compact has received widespread support from many state nursing associations, several hospital associations, and the U.S. Department of Commerce as it provides for improved access to licensed nurses and quality nursing services in times of great need. The Nurse Licensure Compact also facilitates enhanced discipline and information-sharing among NLC member states. For a complete list of the Nurse Licensure Compact participating states, click here.

June 2008 Nurse Licensure Examination Draw Mixed Reactions from Examinees

Examinees of the recently concluded June 2008 nursing licensure examination, administered by the Professional Regulation Commission in several key cities nationwide, expressed mixed sentiments over the exams.

Pinoy R.N.'s chatroom was brimming with activity during the two-day exams. A handful of online chatters said that they found the exams difficult adding that some of the concepts asked were not taught in nursing school nor was it covered during review classes. Examinees particularly took notice on the questions about nursing informatics.

On the other hand, some of those who took the nursing boards said that the questions were relatively easy as several questions appear to be lifted directly from nursing books and review materials.

The mixed reactions from examinees is actually expected owing to the subjectivity of the level of difficulty of the nursing exams or any exam for that matter. Thus, the question of whether the exam was difficult or easy is irrelevant.

The more important question is, "Did the June 2008 nursing licensure examination serve its purpose of testing nursing competency?" Afterall, the primary purpose of the nursing licensure is to protect the general public by ensuring that only those who, at the very least, have the minimum level of nursing competency are allowed in the practice of the nursing profession.

Hence, Pinoy R.N. asks the same question to those who took the exam. If you are a June 2008 examinee, cast your vote now and be counted.

Our online poll is located at the sidebar of Pinoy R.N.

June 2008 Nursing Board Exam Underway

Good luck to everyone taking the June 2008 Nurse Licensure Examination! The nurses behind Pinoy R.N. and Ward Class will be praying for your success.

Here's a short prayer, originally posted at Ward Class, that examinees could say before taking the exam:

O St. Joseph of Cupertino who by your prayer obtained from God to be asked at your examination, the only preposition you knew. Grant that I may like you succeed in the June 2008 Nurse Licensure Examination.

In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked

O St. Joseph of Cupertino, pray for me

O Holy Ghost, enlighten me

Our Lady of Good Studies, pray for me

Sacred Head of Jesus, Seat of divine wisdom, enlighten me.

For regular updates on the status of the June 2008 Nursing Licensure Exam Results, be sure to submit your e-mail address to our mailing list above.

Pinoy R.N., as in previous board exams, reliably delivers the complete nursing board exam results immediately after it is officially released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).