PRC Registration Schedule for New Nurses (December 2007)

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will begin the registration of new nurses (December 2007 Nurse Licensure Examination passers) on March 24, 2008 at the PRC office in Manila.

To facilitate an orderly registration, successful examinees are advised to observe the following registration schedule:

ABA, Adrian A. to ALE, Quinessa S. (March 24)

ALEGADO, Jane A. to AQUINO, Tristan L. (March 25)

AQUINO, Xenia Joy L. to BALBIN, Anna Irish Y. (March 26)

BALBIN, Jon Nelson C. to BELLO, Martin II R. (March 27)

BELLO, Mecca Angela Q. to BURGOS, Roland A. (March 28)

BURI, Karen Anson R. to CAPUNDAN, Gretchen M. (March 31)

CAPUNO, Ann Naciancina V. to CIANO, Setrina N. (April 1)

CIELO, Leonida P. to DALAYGON, Casedil D. (April 2)

DALERE, Daryl Dave T. to DELA CRUZ, Uzzielle D. (April 3)

DELA CUADRA, Eunice Mae P. to DURA, Clair M. (April 4)

DURAGO, Neniel Kate B. to FAJARDO, Stephanie R. (April 7)

FAJARDO, Vergel S. to GAMAD, Charliselle A. (April 8)

GAMAD, Honesto Jr. G. to GRANIL, Romyr Jane A. (April 10)

GRANITO, Hazel Grace L. to JABONILLO, Joyce S. (April 11)

JACA, Flora Mae G. to LANGAMON, Emerald P. (April 14)

LANGBAYAN, Gibran A. to LOPEZ, Joann N. (April 15)

LOPEZ, John Michael C. to MALLARI, Florian Edgar A. (April 16)

MALLARI, Francis Ian Q. to MEDINA, Jeden Marneleh A. (April 17)

MEDINA, Julie Jane D. to NANGLIGAN, Marilyn D. (April 18)

NANI, Al-Nash A. to ORDANZA, Ma. Angelica E. (April 21)

ORDEN, Janice M. to PARUNGAO, Melvin A. (April 22)

PARUNGAO, Nalla L. to PULIDO, Eduardo C. (April 23)

PULIDO, Pamela E. to REYES, Jera R. (April 24)

REYES, Jerome Anthony D. to SALAMAT, Sharlene Ann G. (April 25)

SALAMATIN, John Lester R. to SEMIC, Jiesylmay T. (April 28)

SEMILLA, Florence Erika B. to TACDORO, Shiela B. (April 29)

TACIO, Herbert D. to TONO, Emelou S. (April 30)

TONOG, Joeky Z. to VESAGAS, Rainier M. (May 1)

VETUS, Ralph Joshua I R. to ZUNIGA, Woodrow Rafael III M. (May 5)

ADVISORY TO JUNE 2007 NURSES

June 2007 Nurses are also advised that their CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION is now available at Window 19, Registration Division, PRC Manila.

As of March 5, available certificates:

ABALOS, Russel to FORTALIZA, Frederick.

Those who intend to claim their PRC Certificate of Registration are instructed to bring the following:

1. PRC ID (License)
2. Photocopy showing front and back of PRC ID

No fees will be collected.

(Submitted via E-mail by Noelito RN. Thanks!)

Pinoy R.N. EyeBall (EB) in Davao City

Pinoy R.N. will be having a community EB on October 29, 2007 MONDAY at 6:30 PM. The venue will be at the Buffet Palace in Matina, Davao City.

The following have confirmed their attendance:
1. Lyle, RN
2. breech
3. Junk_Puncher
4. Orange RN
5. peach
6. Apple a.k.a Cyndall

Tentative:
1. juicy_pwet
2. Samsook RN
3. jaci RN 

4. Nicole
5. TAGAYTAYO

Everyone is invited to come. Questions about the EB may be directed to our davao-based chatroom moderators breech, junk_puncher, & Orange.

Total Lost Revenues From JPEPA Could Pay For Salaries Of RP Nurses

By IBON Media

REPUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION

.....

The Philippine government could actually keep Filipino nurses from going abroad by utilizing revenues it would otherwise have foregone under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

The average monthly salary of a nurse in the public sector is some P10,000. Government employs around 20,000 nurses, and even if we increase their salaries to P50,000, it would only cost the government P1 billion. This is less than one-tenth of the estimated P10.6 billion in tariff revenues foregone annually with the target tariff eliminations for the Philippines under JPEPA.

Low salaries are the reasons why the country has become the leading exporter of nurses globally with 85% of all employed Filipino nurses actually working abroad. But this exodus of health workers has taken its toll on the health system, with 200 hospitals closing and 800 more partially closing in recent years due to lack of nurses.

The tariff revenues foregone under JPEPA could potentially go far in improving the salaries of public sector nurses and in the hiring of new ones. These would go a long way in improving the shortage of nursing care in the country.

.....

IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues. It has become known locally and internationally for its in-depth researches that promote a better understanding of social concerns and explore alternative programs that serve the interests of the Filipino majority.

1st Philippine Nursing Opportunities Conference and Expo 2007

Organized by Elite Consultancy Services and Co-Presented by Globe Telecom, The 1st Philippine Nursing Opportunities Conference and Expo 2007 will open a wealth of information and opportunities for all nursing stakeholders in the country.

The event, which will be held on September 28-30, 2007 at the Megatrade Hall 2 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, will feature exhibits and conduct seminars on opportunities and challenges confronting the practice of the Nursing profession locally and globally.

Professional registered nurses, nursing graduates and student nurses stand to benefit from the event as resource speakers will be talking about career planning, licensure application requirements and procedures (CGFNS, NCLEX, IELTS) and test-taking strategies.

For more information on this must-see event, visit www.philnursingexpo.com

BusinessWeek: Are Nursing Shortages Causing Deaths?

A nonprofit group's report says more immigrant nurses and training programs are needed to ease patient suffering

By Moira Herbst

The U.S. is facing a severe nursing shortage, and it's causing increased death and illness for American patients, says a report released on Sept. 5 by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a free market-oriented nonprofit group. As baby boomers are aging and require more care, the U.S. could face a shortage of one million nurses by 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Relieving patient suffering amid the growing crisis will require both investment in U.S. nursing training and boosting the numbers of immigrant nurses admitted to the country, says the NFAP study.

Read full story at BusinessWeek

Related Links:

Nursing Shortage in the Philippines Article

National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) Report

June 2007 Nurse Licensure Exam Results Are Out!

Congratulations to all who passed!

Download COMPLETE June 2007 Nursing Exam Results:

• June 2007 Nurses (PDF Version)
• June 2007 Nurses (Microsoft Word Version)
• June 2007 Nurses (Notepad Text Version)
• Topnotchers June 2007 Nurse Licensure Exam (PDF Version)
• Successful June 2006 Retakers (DoLE site)
• Successful June 2006 Retakers (Microsoft Word Version - Courtesy of in&out)

Examinees who did not pass the examination may apply for the December 2007 Nurses Licensure Examination from September 17, 2007 to September 28, 2007.

The registration of successful examinees in alphabetical order is scheduled as follows:

• Oct. 17, 2007 A JOSE - ALLOSO
• Oct. 18, 2007 ALMACEN - ARZOLA
• Oct. 19, 2007 ASAARI - BASUEL
• Oct. 22, 2007 BATA - BUGUINA
• Oct. 23, 2007 BUHAT - CAPUZ
• Oct. 24, 2007 CARA - COMPUESTO
• Oct. 25, 2007 CONAG - DAZO
• Oct. 26, 2007 DE AQUINO - DIMZON
• Oct. 29, 2007 DIN - ESTURCO
• Oct. 30, 2007 ETANG - GAMUYAO
• Oct. 31, 2007 GAN - GUZON
• Nov. 2, 2007 HABABAG - LABUTONG
• Nov. 5, 2007 LACABA - LOQUIAS
• Nov. 6, 2007 LOR - MANZON
• Nov. 7, 2007 MAON - MALOS
• Nov. 8, 2007 MOMBLAN - OLVIDO
• Nov. 9, 2007 OMABTANG - PASUSTENTO
• Nov. 12, 2007 PATACSIL - RADIN
• Nov. 13, 2007 RAFA - ROMUTAP
• Nov. 14, 2007 RONATO - SAQUING
• Nov. 15, 2007 SARA - TABUZO
• Nov. 16, 2007 TAC-AN - TUPPAL
• Nov. 19, 2007 TURA - WADINGAN
• Nov. 20, 2007 WAGA – ZUYCO

Those who will register are required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, current Community Tax Certificate (cedula), 2 pieces passport size picture (colored with white background and complete nametag), 1 piece 1” x 1” picture (colored with white background and complete nametag), 2 sets of metered documentary stamps, and 1 short brown envelope with name and profession; and to pay the Initial Registration Fee of P600 and Annual Registration Fee of P450 for 2007-2010.
...
Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals. The oathtaking ceremony of the successful examinees in the said examination as well as the previous ones who have not taken their Oath of Professional will be held before the Board on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 8:00 o’clock in the morning for surnames starting with A – J; and 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon for surnames starting with K – Z, at the Araneta Coliseum, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. All must come in their white gala uniform, nurses cap, white duty shoes, without earrings, hair not touching the collar and without corsage.

Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at the Ground Floor of PRC – Main Building, Sampaloc, Manila.

Notice: Our webserver bandwidth allocation maxed out due to heavy usage resulting to dead links. Files have been re-uploaded to different servers. Download links are now available again.

NY State Education Department Denies 'Freezing' NCLEX Applications of June 2006 Nurses

Ms. Barbara Zittel, RN, Ph.D., executive secretary of the New York State Boards for Nursing and Respiratory Therapy told Pinoy R.N. that they are carefully examining licensure (NCLEX) applications from Philippine Nurses involved in the compromised June 2006 Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination.

...

The statement was in response to a query by Pinoy R.N. on the status of licensure applications filed by June 2006 nurses who are still awaiting approval to sit for the NCLEX exam as there were speculations that applications of June 2006 nurses were indefinitely put on hold.

...

"This review is extremely time-consuming and therefore it may appear as though there is a 'freeze' in our review process," added Zittel.

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Inquirer.net: BoN denies nursing results out this week

Exam checkers to go on quarantine Thursday

By Veronica Uy INQUIRER.net
Last updated 02:54pm (Mla time) 08/15/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A flurry of text messages has been circulating that the results of the June 2007 nursing licensure examinations will be out this week, but the Board of Nursing (BoN) on Wednesday denied this and said the results will be released toward the end of August.

According to the text messages, the results will be released at the offices of the Professional Regulation Commission on August 15, on the Internet on August 16, and through newspapers on August 17.

“Good luck sa atin [to us] and please pass. Thanks,” the message also said. Some messages even mention a passing rate.

Read full story at Inquirer.net

Nurse Licensure Examination Results - June 2007

NURSE LICENSURE EXAMINATION RESULTS RELEASED IN FIFTY-SIX (56) WORKING DAYS

DOWNLOAD THE RESULTS HERE.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 31,275 out of 64,909 passed the Nurse (First Timers, Repeaters, Removals and Voluntary Retakers of all subjects) Licensure Examination given by the Board of Nursing in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga last June 2007. The results of examination with respect to two (2) examinees were withheld pending final determination of their liabilities under the rules and regulations governing licensure examinations. Two Hundred Forty-eight (248) out of the 336 Retakers as per C.A. Decision passed the examination.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) initiated Special Certification for CGFNS examination results will be announced later. The members of the Board of Nursing are Carmencita M. Abaquin, Chairman; Leonila A. Faire, Betty F. Merritt, Perla G. Po, Marco Antonio C. Sto.Tomas, Yolanda C. Arugay and Amelia B. Rosales.

Examinees who did not pass the examination may apply for the December 2007 Nurses Licensure Examination from September 17, 2007 to September 28, 2007.

The registration of successful examinees in alphabetical order is scheduled as
follows:

Oct. 17, 2007 A JOSE - ALLOSO
Oct. 18, 2007 ALMACEN - ARZOLA
Oct. 19, 2007 ASAARI - BASUEL
Oct. 22, 2007 BATA - BUGUINA
Oct. 23, 2007 BUHAT - CAPUZ
Oct. 24, 2007 CARA - COMPUESTO
Oct. 25, 2007 CONAG - DAZO
Oct. 26, 2007 DE AQUINO - DIMZON
Oct. 29, 2007 DIN - ESTURCO
Oct. 30, 2007 ETANG - GAMUYAO
Oct. 31, 2007 GAN - GUZON
Nov. 2, 2007 HABABAG - LABUTONG
Nov. 5, 2007 LACABA - LOQUIAS
Nov. 6, 2007 LOR - MANZON
Nov. 7, 2007 MAON - MALOS
Nov. 8, 2007 MOMBLAN - OLVIDO
Nov. 9, 2007 OMABTANG - PASUSTENTO
Nov. 12, 2007 PATACSIL - RADIN
Nov. 13, 2007 RAFA - ROMUTAP
Nov. 14, 2007 RONATO - SAQUING
Nov. 15, 2007 SARA - TABUZO
Nov. 16, 2007 TAC-AN - TUPPAL
Nov. 19, 2007 TURA - WADINGAN
Nov. 20, 2007 WAGA – ZUYCO

Those who will register are required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, current Community Tax Certificate (cedula), 2 pieces passport size picture (colored with white background and complete nametag), 1 piece 1” x 1” picture (colored with white background and complete nametag), 2 sets of metered documentary stamps, and 1 short brown envelope with name and profession; and to pay the Initial Registration Fee of P600 and Annual Registration Fee of P450 for 2007-2010.

...

Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals. The oathtaking ceremony of the successful examinees in the said examination as well as the previous ones who have not taken their Oath of Professional will be held before the Board on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 8:00 o’clock in the morning for surnames starting with A – J; and 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon for surnames starting with K – Z, at the Araneta Coliseum, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. All must come in their white gala uniform, nurses cap, white duty shoes, without earrings, hair not touching the collar and without corsage.

Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at the Ground Floor of PRC – Main Building, Sampaloc, Manila.

Filipino Nurses in UK Face Possible Deportation

A dozen filipino nurses, working as senior carers, in Cambridge, United Kingdom face possible deportation after the Home Office refused to renew their work permits according to a report by the Cambridge Evening News.

Home Office officials also announced they will no longer issue work permits to foreign nationals for senior carer positions after the position has been taken off the list of shortage occupations.

"We treat each work permit renewal on a case-by-case basis and cannot comment on individual cases. The shortage list is made up of roles where professionals within the industries involved have told us there is a chronic shortage of applicants." A Home Office spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, local city official David Howarth has taken the cudgels for the filipino nurses. "These are qualified and hardworking nurses who came to this country at our request and they are now simply being discarded. This is not the way to treat people doing a very important and difficult job." He said.

In a letter to Minister of State for the Home Office, Liam Byrne, Howarth said, "This policy seems unfair and ill-judged and I hope your department will reconsider it. This decision will lead to a shortage of carers.

Many of the nurses have lived in Cambridge for four years after being recruited to help ease staffing shortages in 2003.

Nursing Board Flunkers May be Allowed to Work as Practical Nurses - Brion

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said that the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and Senator Edgardo Angara are looking at the possibility of allowing the flunkers of the Nurse Licensure Examination to work as Practical Nurses.

Practical nurses, also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses, are also in demand abroad.

Brion presented the idea to Senator Edgardo Angara, former chancellor of the University of the Philippines, as well as officials of the Commission on Higher Education and to the Professional Regulation Commission.

"They all agreed to its viability so we'll meet soon and discuss it," Brion added.

According to a report by the Inquirer, about 40,000 of the 78,797 examinees are expected to pass the June 2007 Nurse Licensure Examination according to estimates by the labor department. The projected 40,000 includes June 2006 examinees who were required to retake portions of the exam.

Brion said the results of the June 2007 nursing licensure exam will be released by middle of August.

(Thanks to breech for pointing out the Inquirer article)

New Zealand Health Board to Hire Filipino Nurses

The Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB), a government health board in New Zealand, plans to hire filipino nurses for Auckland according to a report by GMANews.TV

CMDHB is one of the largest providers and funder of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in Australasia, serving the people of South and East Auckland in an area that stretches from Otahuhu to Port Waikato.

Representatives of CMDHB will be coming to the Philippines on the third (3rd) week of September to interview applicants and may deploy qualified applicants to New Zealand as early as October.

Qualified candidates will initially be issued visitor visas to do a competency course for eight weeks before they can take exams and eventually register as a nurse in New Zealand, according to Japhet Vailoces, a Filipino clinical nurse educator at the CMDHB’s cardiology and neurology department interviewed by GMANews.TV

...

CMDHB representatives are reportedly working out a direct-hiring scheme with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to eliminate possible abuse and exploitation by private recruitment agencies. They are also seeking an exemption from paying the US$450 recruitment fee prescribed under the standard recruitment agreement of the POEA.

U. S. Department of State Revises July 2007 Visa Bulletin; Retrogression is Back

RETROGRESSION UPDATE

The U.S. Department of State (DoS) today (July 2 in the US, July 3 in the Philippines) issued a revision on its previously released July 2007 Visa Bulletin effectively retrogressing all employment-based visa numbers.

Last month, the U.S. Department of State released its July 2007 Visa Bulletin reflecting all employment-based visa petitions becoming "current" beginning July 1, 2007.

However, the sudden backlog reduction efforts by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices during the past month have resulted in the use of almost 60,000 employment-based visa numbers.

This means that the nurse visa retrogression is again in effect.

Related Links:

• Department of State Bulletin Update for July 2007
• USCIS Notice

Related News:

• Retrogression Lifted Temporarily (June 14, 2007)
  

BoN: 'Examination results will be out by August'

Marco Sto. Tomas, member of the Board of Nursing (BoN) tasked to prepare and oversee the administration of the Nurse Licensure Examination, today said that the results of the recently concluded nursing board exam will probably be out by August 15 - 31, 2007.

The labor department earlier said that they will be releasing the exam results three (3) weeks after the conduct of the exam last June 10 and 11.

Sto. Tomas explained that the delay is primarily due to the large number of examinees this year. He added that the PRC's optical machine readers can only process 10,000 test papers per day.

Individual exam scores are then matched to the examinees' names in the PRC database before the BoN determines the mean passing score based from the highest and lowest scores obtained.

78,797 nursing graduates took the June 2007 nurse licensure examination in various cities across the country.

IELTS to Implement Changes in Test Band Score Reporting

After consultation with test takers, teachers, Recognising Organisations and other stakeholders, the International English Language System (IELTS) will be implementing a revised band scoring system.

...

Under the new system, band scores in the tests will be scored in full and in half-bands. The old IELTS scoring system used full bands for the tests except in listening and reading, which is scored in both full and half-bands.

...

This means that in the old system, an examinee may score 7 or 8 in the writing and speaking tests. Under the new system, scores will increment or decrement by half band so the examinee in the same tests may score 7.5 or 8.5.

...

The changes, taking effect July 1st this year, will only affect the reporting of the band scores and will not, in any way, affect how the tests are rated.

...

IELTS is jointly managed by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) through more than 350 locations in 120 countries worldwide. Close to 5,000 organisations around the world recognise the test for education, immigration and professional accreditation purposes.

...

Retrogression Lifted Temporarily; Senators Looking to Revive Stalled CIR Bill

RETROGRESSION UPDATE

The US Department of State has released its Visa Bulletin for July 2007. The bulletin includes a summary of available immigrant visa numbers. Effective July 1, 2007, all employment-based immigrant petitions will become "current."

This means that the backlog in the issuance of immigrant visas to qualified nurses is over albeit temporarily.

The Hammond Law Group (HLG), a law firm specializing in immigration cases, explains the bulletin's implication to nurses.

What does this mean?

For applicants waiting for interviews at the consulate: The foreign national may proceed with the consulate interview after the National Visa Center or the consulate schedules an interview. It is expected that it will take the NVC some time to begin issuing appointment dates, as there are thousands of cases that have stacked up during the period of retrogression.

For applicants with labor certification approvals: the foreign national may proceed with concurrent filing of the I-140 and I-485 applications.

For applicants with approved I-140 petitions: The foreign national may proceed with the I-485 Adjustment of Status or consular interview, depending upon which option the foreign national is choosing.

For applicants in the U.S. on temporary status who are eligible to bypass labor certification (e.g. registered nurses, physical therapists, National Interest Waivers, Exceptional Ability Aliens, etc.): The foreign national may proceed with concurrent filing of the I-140 and I-485 application.

However, the relief is only temporary and may only last until October this year as the category is always over-subscribed as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is only allowed by law to approve approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visa petitions annually. Moreover, dependents are also counted against the yearly quota.

Meanwhile, Key Republican and Democratic senators are reaching for a deal to resurrect their stalled immigration compromise by requiring that some $4 billion be spent on border security and workplace enforcement.

U.S. President George W. Bush met with key Republican leaders in Capitol Hill this week to rally support for his pet bill.

Passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill is largely viewed in the healthcare industry as a long-term solution to the recurrent problem of nurse visa retrogression.

June 2007 Nurse Licensure Examination Results Due in Three Weeks

The labor department said Saturday that they plan to release the results of the June 2007 two-day Nurse Licensure Examiantion three weeks from today.

...

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion added that four lawyers, representing the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), will be observing the partial retake of tests III and V by approximately 11,000 examinees of the compromised June 2006 Nurse Licensure Examination.

...

The CGFNS, in February, announced that June 2006 Nurses will only be issued VisaScreen Certificates after a successful retake of tests III and V.

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The CGFNS/ICHP VisaScreen Certificate is a US immigration requirement for healthcare professionals educated outside the United States.

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Meanwhile, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Chair Leonor Rosero assured that security measures are in place to avoid a repeat of the incident. “All security measures, all precautions have been emphasized to the new BON and PRC employees. Huwag nila pabayaan para hindi magkaroon ng problema uli (We stress to them they should not let their guard down so there will be no problem)," Rosero said in an interview on dzRB radio, a government-run station.

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78,797 nursing graduates registered for this year's Nurse Licensure Examination held in various cities across the country.

...

June 2007 Nurse Licensure Examination Relevant Links

Relevant links for the examinees of the upcoming June 2007 Nurse Licensure Examination.

• Last Minute Reminders for Local Board Exam Takers
• Animated Human Atlas (Med-Surg Animated Lectures)
• Notes in Pharmacology
  
• Notes in Psychiatric Nursing
  
• Notes in Med-Surg: Orthopedics

Retrogression Drags On As US Senate Withdraws Controversial Immigration Reform Measure

Retrogression Update ...

The debates in the United States Senate on the proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill bogged down less than three hours ago after Democratic leader Harry Reid withdrew the controversial measure.

The move came after Republican Senators voted twice within nine hours to block the measure from moving towards a final vote.

"A group of Senate Republicans has irresponsibly turned its back on border security and the 12 million people who are living in the shadows of our society," said Reid.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell meanwhile complained, "I think we are giving up on this bill too soon."
...
Reid pointed out that the bill was not dead yet. He pledged to carry on working to pass an immigration reform bill but added, "We are finished with this for the time being."

"We are very close, at some point we are going to do this."

But a crowded Senate calendar and the looming Presidential elections complicates its prospects of being passed this year. The measure's chances are even murkier in the House, where Democratic leaders have warned that they don't plan to act on the divisive issue until the Senate has finished work on it.

ANA and NYSNA Throw Support Behind Embattled Filipino Nurses

The 26 filipino nurses and 1 physical therapist, facing criminal charges in New York for child endangerment, got the support of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).

In a press statement released June 1, 2007. ANA and NYSNA jointly condemned the exploitation of immigrant RNs by unscrupulous U.S. employers and called for better enforcement of immigration laws.

ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, RN, MSN, CNOR said, "These brave nurses deserve the nursing community’s full support because they refused to remain in a situation where patients were being denied the kind of care and staffing they deserved."

She added, "The real patient endangerment lies in the deplorable conditions that led the nurses to leave."

NYSNA interim chief executive officer, Tina Gerardi, RN echoed Patton's sentiments. "This case may be just the tip of the iceberg. Nurses who come to the U.S. deserve to have their rights protected," said Geradi.

The NYSNA learned about the nurses’ plight last month and assisted them in getting a hearing before the New York State Board for Nursing after Sentosa Care, LLC accused them of professional misconduct.

"Those charges were dismissed by the state board. We are greatly concerned these RNs are now being prosecuted for the same actions." Gerardi added.

The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of America's 2.9 million registered nurses through its 54 constituent member nurses associations.

...

The 'Sentosa 27' are expected to participate in the New York Philippine Independence Day parade on June 3 (June 4 in the Philippines), where they will receive support from both the Filipino and American nursing communities.

...

Related Link:

American Nurses Association Press Statement

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Related News:

Online Petition for 'Sentosa 27'

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