Scrap nurses’ exams? Talk to Congress, Duque tells Bello

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Groups representing nurses in the public sector have commended a recent directive by Malacañang reversing a budget department circular that resulted in the “demotion” of many in their ranks. The Palace is taking off from that initiative to further accommodate back pay for the affected nurses. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said that abolishing the nurses’ licensure examination as a requirement before they could become a health professional would require congressional approval.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Duque said scrapping the board exam for nurses, an idea floated by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, still needs further study.

“That needs further study as there are laws that require professionals to pass board exams prior to issuance of a license,” said Duque.

“He has to convince the legislators to amend the Nursing Act and the PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) law,” he added.

Bello earlier questioned the need for bar and board exams for would-be professionals, especially for nurses, when graduates have already gone through piles of examinations during college.

He also said it is unfair for graduates to not be able to practice their profession just because they did not pass the board exam.

“Bakit pa kailangan ng board exam eh ilang exam ang dinaanan nila sa nursing? Puro na lang exam. Do they not trust these schools where these nurses came from, especially kung ‘yung school na pinanggalingan nila ay accredited by CHEd (Commission on Higher Education)?” Bello said in an online media briefing on Wednesday.

(Why is the board exam needed when they have already gone through a lot of exams for nursing? There are too many exams. Do they not trust these schools where these nurses came from, especially if the schools were accredited by CHEd?)

“Dapat alisin na ‘yung mga board exam sa mga engineer, board exam sa dentistry, Bar exam. Eight years ka nang nag-aaral para maging abogado, pumasa ka na sa lahat ng exam, kukuha ka pa ng Bar?” he said.

(We should remove the requirement for board exams for engineers and dentists as well as bar exams. You have been studying for eight years to become a lawyer and have passed all the tests, then you still need to take the bar exam?)

However, Bello clarified on Thursday that he was not proposing the scrapping of board examinations for nurses and other professions but was only urging concerned agencies to study if the requirement can be abolished.

EDV