Filipino nurses warned against 'leaking' US board exam questions to other examinees

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filipino nurses warned against 'leaking' us board exam questions to other examinees

saturday, july 14, 2007

dante ang, presidential task force on national council licensure examination (nclex) chief, yesterday warned filipino nurses against "leaking" the questionnaires in the us board examination to other examinees.

"i am appealing to them to consider the honor of the country and not sell the questions to other examinees because we will run after them," ang said.

he cited instances in south korea where examinees memorized the questionnaires and sold them to other applicants. upon discovery of the irregularity, the us stopped the conduct of examination in korea.

according to ang, filipino nurses should refrain from taking any action that may compromise the holding of us board examination here.

ang issued the warning as he advised nurses hoping to work in the united states that they may start registering today for the nclex examination to be held in the philippines starting aug. 23.

ang said applicants need not visit the office and testing center in makati because only online registration will be entertained.
some advice from ang...

Let's have a short debate here and please respect each others opinion. This is merely my opinion and should not be taken as an advice.

I am not for cheating. I don't like cheating. I passed everything without 'magic' but pure faith in God and burning oil at night. I do not want to tolerate cheating in any form.

However, the problem is if the culture of the society doesn't see one activity as cheating. That's a big problem.

Somehow, if somebody does not share the exam questions, he is regarded as "walang pakisama" (please translate for me, can't find the right english words). In Filipino culture, "pakisama" is much more valued. "Pakisama" is often beyond legal and moral values.

It is not even a subject worthy of debate. The issue is that the NCLEX exam is for working in the US, and the cultures and the laws of the US are in effect with that exam. And they do punish and immediately, not like what was done with the NLE exam last summer in your country.

This is not the place to discuss what you think it okay in your country, does not matter what is done there and by whom. The fact is that it is not tolerated in the US, and that is all that matters surrounding the NCLEX exam.

Pure and simple. The nurse wishes to work in the US, then they need to follow US law or not work in the US.

End of my discusssion on it. And back to the topic at hand, this is not the thread to discuss culture.

Let's face reality. There is a culture clash and I am seeing it forthcoming. Maybe not in the first 2 to 3 years because everyone will be careful, but after 5 years. After 5 years, we can easily predict businesses like review centers pretending to have got the NCLEX questions just to attract reviewees will sprung up everywhere in the country and then, thats it. Whether true or not that they got leaked NCLEX questions, there will come this time. It is always a business strategy in the Philippines for Review Centers to portray that they have inside connections. True or not, it attacts reviewees.

My advice to Reviewees, DO NOT GO TO THAT KIND OF REVIEW CENTER NOR EVEN SIGN YOUR NAME IN THEIR GUEST BOOKS. It can cause you trouble in the future.

Plain and simple ---> from the perspective of the United States, leaking=cheating. No need to discuss cultural differences!

By the way, all this discussion about cheating on exams does only one thing: it makes Filipinos look bad in the eyes of the world.

I have been a nurse in the US for many years, and have worked with plenty of Filipino nurses. The ones who graduated years ago are great, and it is a pleasure to work with them. Many of the recent grads, however, are unprepared and lacking in basic skills. I have never questioned the ethics and honesty of the "older" nurses, but now, when I meet a new grad, I have to wonder about them. I certainly don't want to be working next to a nurse who cheated on an exam! And I am not the only one who feels that way. It's very sad.

The only ones who can change the attitude toward cheating are Filipinos. Personally, I was surprised that the NCLEX was even going to be offered in the Philippines because of that scandal. A word of advice: if cheating occurs at your NCLEX center, the exam will no longer be offered at that site. And if that happens, you have no one to blame but yourselves.

Don't you need to take a course in nursing ethics? Maybe the people who think that "leaking" is acceptable need to review what they were supposed to have learned!

Specializes in Med/Surg/Med-Tele/SDU/ED.
plain and simple ---> from the perspective of the united states, leaking=cheating. no need to discuss cultural differences!

by the way, all this discussion about cheating on exams does only one thing: it makes filipinos look bad in the eyes of the world.

exactly.

cheating should not be "negotiated" nor justified, only condemned.

when we stamp our foot down on cheating, the cheaters will wilt in the light.

or at least hide under the rocks.

the only ones who can change the attitude toward cheating are filipinos. personally, i was surprised that the nclex was even going to be offered in the philippines because of that scandal. a word of advice: if cheating occurs at your nclex center, the exam will no longer be offered at that site. and if that happens, you have no one to blame but yourselves.

if i had the money, i would not take the nclex-rn in this center.

remember the case with the korean center?

they revoked the us rn licenses of 3 koreans.

revocation of your hard-earned us rn license due to cheating is a painful, if not humiliating, experience.

if you're caught in the net just because of your choice of test site...that would suck.

Let's face reality. There is a culture clash and I am seeing it forthcoming. Maybe not in the first 2 to 3 years because everyone will be careful, but after 5 years. After 5 years, we can easily predict businesses like review centers pretending to have got the NCLEX questions just to attract reviewees will sprung up everywhere in the country and then, thats it. Whether true or not that they got leaked NCLEX questions, there will come this time. It is always a business strategy in the Philippines for Review Centers to portray that they have inside connections. True or not, it attacts reviewees.

My advice to Reviewees, DO NOT GO TO THAT KIND OF REVIEW CENTER NOR EVEN SIGN YOUR NAME IN THEIR GUEST BOOKS. It can cause you trouble in the future.

Sorry, but you are late with your assumptions. It is already a very well known fact there that several of the larger review centers have their students give them questions and the choice of answers when they leave the exam. Not waiting until five years from now, but already happening there before the exam even opens there. And is the reason that the center in Seoul, Korea no longer exists.

It is not inside connections at all, but just pure cheating. There is no way to have inside connections with the Board that writes the NCLEX questions, but they can have connections with their students that reviewed with them.

This is a very well known fact and why certain major employers in the US are now following up with the review center that the nurse attended, if they did. A mention of a couple of the centers there, and they are out of the running for the job.

You may think that it is a cool thing to do, and it has nothing to do with culture. It is not an acceptable practice no matter where it is, and it will not be tolerated in the US. Your profile states the location as the US, but since you have never worked in the US, nor are familiar with the correct and legal way that we do things here, you may wish to change your profile. Even if you have found an employer, it is going to be sometime before you are in the US.

Regardless of "culture" clashes about what is considered cheating, it is the PERCEPTION in the western world that Filipinos are prone to cheating. PERCEPTION is everything to an employer, to a patient and to the general public in the US, Canada, UK or Australia. Why is it perceived that the Philippines encourage and condone cheating?

Simply look at the vast market for illegal copyright CD's, DVD's, and computer software here in the Philippines. Filipinos don't look at copyright infringement as cheating, nor do they consider it cheating if they steal satellite TV from DREAM tv, or steal cable services either. Yet all of the above is considered thievery and cheating and punishable with heavy fines and possible prison time in the US. Theft of services or theft of confidential material from professional exams is STILL a crime and is in all ways it is considered cheating in the USA.

When you rush your child to the pediatrician with a debilitating or potential lethal disease, would you want to know that the Dr. and the attending Nurse cheated on their board exams to get their license? Would you willingly place your child, wife or mother in the hands of a practitioner who could not pass licensure without cheating?

The really sad part is that NCLEX is being given here on a probationary basis and THE FIRST PERSON WHO CHEATS will shut it down for the entire country! It will take a monumental effort of self discipline by all graduate nurses to make sure no one takes this exam from the Philippines due to cheating. Trust me, JUST ONE PERSON is all it will take to shut the entire program down.

Now, since NOT ONE conviction has come about from the NLE scandal, why do you act surprised that the USA and others think cheating is "normal" in the Philippines?

Do you want to continue to ignore the warning signs and let cheaters ruin the careers of hard working and honest nurses?

It's UP TO YOU!!

Hoss

We can only preach. That's all we can do. We cannot change the culture overnight. Let's not separate ourselves from reality.

Specializes in Oncology, Medical.
Let's face reality. There is a culture clash and I am seeing it forthcoming. Maybe not in the first 2 to 3 years because everyone will be careful, but after 5 years. After 5 years, we can easily predict businesses like review centers pretending to have got the NCLEX questions just to attract reviewees will sprung up everywhere in the country and then, thats it. Whether true or not that they got leaked NCLEX questions, there will come this time. It is always a business strategy in the Philippines for Review Centers to portray that they have inside connections. True or not, it attacts reviewees.

I really have the feeling of bringing up this topic only provokes more cheating to happen. It's like initiating it. Some people have no idea that this is happening. As for social tolerance, just keep it within your family or relatives if you can't help it. Blood is thicker than water anyway. Why can't we trust this center to fully operate as strictly as possible and not minding others like review centers. I don't think it is in the culture but it is what the person chose to do. Because nowadays, especially the second coursers, want an easy ticket to everything. I believe it can be stopped, if one chooses not to leak or cheat.

I would really love this topic to end because it will only give more negative accusations to those who do not cheat and adds to the bad reputation of Filipinos taking note that there are other nationalities looking at this forum.

I really have the feeling of bringing up this topic only provokes more cheating to happen. It's like initiating it. Some people have no idea that this is happening. As for social tolerance, just keep it within your family or relatives if you can't help it. Blood is thicker than water anyway...

I would really love this topic to end because it will only give more negative accusations to those who do not cheat and adds to the bad reputation of Filipinos taking note that there are other nationalities looking at this forum.

It was a Filipino government official who first brought up the topic of cheating (or, as some of you say, "leaking") as a caution to nursing students. Talking about cheating doesn't cause cheating. It is a reminder to test-takers that cheating on the NCLEX is absolutely unacceptable, and may have severe consequences for the future of the NCLEX test site in the Philippines.

Other nationalities looking at this forum? You bet we are! As nurses, our primary concern is providing quality care for our patients. We cannot provide quality care without quality nurses. If you want to be a nurse in the US, study hard, pass the NCLEX, and you can hold your head up high.

It seems like any time there is a discussion about problems with nursing education or testing in the Philippines, people want to "end the topic" because it casts a bad light on the Philippines. The freedom to discuss issues is the whole point of this forum! Discussion of topics, even unpleasant ones, can lead to positive changes in attitudes and behaviors.

Specializes in Med/Surg/Med-Tele/SDU/ED.
because nowadays, especially the second coursers, want an easy ticket to everything.

can you back up this statement with figures?

you've roundly condemned all second coursers with this statement.

i would really love this topic to end because it will only give more negative accusations to those who do not cheat and adds to the bad reputation of filipinos taking note that there are other nationalities looking at this forum.

you'll meet these other nationalities when/if you get to work in a us hospital.

if you bring this attitude of generalizing and attacking a group of people...you might find it hard working in the us.

fyi, not all us nurses were "born" nurses.

a lot of them started as cnas, rts, tele techs.

they are all second coursers when they shifted to nursing.

you'll be working with them if you get to work in a us hospital.

this phenomenon of second coursers is not unique to the philippines.

does your statement "because nowadays, especially the second coursers, want an easy ticket to everything." apply to these american second coursers?

i hope your interviewer is one of these second coursers.

and don't forget to tell him/her about your stand on second coursers.

:lol2:

The one thing that puts the Philippines to the forefront in second coursers is that there are only a few countries in the world that actually offer this. Most countries have the traditional three or four year program.

It woulD be interesting to see how many second coursers are actually working in the RN role now in the Philippines. Many that post here are doing something else entirely.

Someone that was a CNA and then went onto complete their nurse's training is not a second courser. A second courser is someone that had a degree in something else entirely then changed careers. Monitor techs are not second coursers either if they go onto nursing school, they usually did not have a Bachelor's degree in something else.

And you did not see the phenomenon of second courser programs until the last few years, and prior to that there were never any issues that you heard of overhere in the US.

And we are only reponding to what government officials have actually posted in the Philippine newspapers, Mr. Ang here. His reputation is at stake, if any issues with this exam, then he will not be sitting pretty. And that is why he is being so vocal about it. He is the one that pushed for the NCLEX exam to be held in Manila.

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