Velasco to DOH, PRC: Tap unregistered nurses as health workers

This file photo shows nurses under Manila’s Health Department conducting rapid antibody tests for the coronavirus inside the Manila City Hall. INQUIRER/LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is appealing to the Department of Health (DOH) and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to tap unregistered nurses to serve as health workers to boost manpower amid the country’s fight against COVID-19.

Velasco said the nurses can work under the supervision of a registered nurse or doctor through a special arrangement with the PRC.

“Since na-postpone din recently ‘yung nursing board exam, we can actually tap ‘yung mga supposedly magbo-board exam and use them as health workers,” Velasco said in a radio interview on Tuesday.

“They are resources that we can actually use to help fight the pandemic,” he added.

The PRC earlier announced the postponement of the May 2021 nurses licensure examinations (NLE) and rescheduled it to November.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said he supports calls to allow medical school graduates to serve in public hospitals even without a license to augment the number of the government’s health workers.

Under Republic Act No. 2382 or “The Medical Act of 1959”, the Secretary of Health may give limited and special authorization to medical students who have completed the first four years of medical course, graduates of medicine, and registered nurses to render medical services during epidemics or national emergencies whenever the services of duly registered physicians are not available.

Such authorization, however, shall automatically cease when the epidemic or national emergency is declared terminated by the Secretary of Health, the law stated.

/MUF