CGFNS/ICHP's Official decision on Visa Screening for June 2006 NLE passers

[eivan]

CGFNS Denies VisaScreen® Certificates for Philippine Nurses Who Passed the Compromised June 2006 Philippine Licensure Examination

PHILADELPHIA, PA — FEBRUARY 14, 2007 — After careful consideration, the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) has decided that those Philippine nurses who were sworn in as licensed nurses in the Philippines following their passing the compromised licensure exam of June 2006 are not eligible for a VisaScreen Certificate. CGFNS began investigating this issue soon after the first reports of irregularities were received and sent a fact-finding mission to the Philippines in September 2006. CGFNS has concluded that the licensure process for those who received their license as a result of passing the compromised June 2006 licensure examination raises significant questions about the accurate assessment of the competencies of many of those individuals.

Therefore, CGFNS is unable to certify that the licensure is comparable to a U.S. license. In this instance, applicable U.S. immigration law will not permit CGFNS to issue the VisaScreen Certificate required of internationally educated health care workers to those nurses who obtained Philippine licensure on the basis of passing the June 2006 nursing licensure examination. CGFNS notes, however, that the June 2006 passers are able to overcome this bar and qualify for a VisaScreen Certificate by taking the equivalent of Tests 3 and 5 on a future licensing examination administered by Philippine regulatory authorities and obtaining a passing score.

please verify at:

http://www.cgfns.org/sections/about/news/news/2007/02-14-07_philippines.shtml

For those that want to go to US...we need to take the board or certain parts of the board this June.

[pinoy_guy]

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/28/yehey/top_stories/20070228top3.html

gma approves last-ditch cgfns lobby

president arroyo on tuesday swept aside labor secretary arturo brion's advice to honor the commission on graduates of foreign nursing schools' (cgfns) requirement for a retake of the tainted 2006 nursing test and appointed a "congressional task force" to make a last-minute appeal with the us-based group.

among the moves sanctioned by the palace, is the presentation of house resolution 1539, which puentevella authored. the resolution opposes the cgfns policy as unfavorable to the 17,000 june 2006 nursing board passers.

the lawmaker described the cgfns decision "a blatant disregard for philippine internal policy." he cited a supreme court ruling upholding the board passers' right to get their licenses.

puentevella believes the cgfns might still reverse its decision if presented with new data and documents, saying its officials "might have spoken to the wrong people."

sharing an article i found on the internet. this impacts the fate of the june 2006 passers. i think some of them would like to know how government people are shaping their fate.

to those 0606 passers who do not want to know what is happening to mold their future, and those who do not want people to talk about this issue, move on to other posts/threads in this forum. this post is not for you.

i am not a 0606 passer, but i have handled students in this batch (the reason why i'm sharing this)--i want them to get their vs and move on with their lives.

basically retake is not an option at this point...the prc will only offer it if the task force fails to convince the cgfns to change its decision, and if gma orders it.

i encourage people to pray that people are enlightened to do what is right, and not use this batch for their own personal reasons.

with this task force being authorized by the highest official in the land, and supported by a house resolution...this gives a different color to this line of action.

i pray cgfns board members have the patience. there is a very easy way out for cgfns on this issue--which would be very bad for the 0606 batch.

[lawrence01]

We're so used to bad service

Excerpt:

It matters not to us that majority of deans and veteran nurses doubt the fitness of the 17,000 or so test passers. Like Professional Regulation Commissioner Leonor Rosero, we insist on our wrongs and expect others to accept. Rosero was set to leave for the US yesterday to appeal the blacklist by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools of passers seeking work in America. Yet, CGFNS head Barbara Nichols already told her to not waste time appealing because they want US job applicants to retake Tests 3 and 5 that were marred by leakage. We can't get into our thick skulls that it's only us who believe that all the passers, regardless of who cheated, can attain local as well as US licenses as birthright. The whole world is persecuting us, so we yell our voices hoorifice for justice. Meantime, we dilly-dally in prosecuting the two examiners who leaked questionnaires and 11 deans and reviewers who coaxed them into it. We even let Rosero stay in office and junket to America, when she should be indicted as an accessory for attempting to whitewash the misdeed.

We can read the whole article by clicking the link below:

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200702282602.htm

[suzanne4, RN]

What your government is failing to understand is that CGFNS operates under the direct rulings and requirements of the US State Dept that they are under contract to. They are not permitted to make any changes to items that deal directly with US Immigration. It is only the US Federal Government that can make the changes, and they are not going to for the safety of the population of the United States.

Their priority is to the citizens of the US, not to your country or any other. If the nurse wishes to work in the US, then they need to meet the requirements that are required for the US.

Perhaps the people that are trying to force the hand of the US should try this same tactic with the review centers that are still open that were at the center of the cheating, "They are being investigated". Yeah, right and things go on as usual.

For the money that they are going to waste on flying over here when CGFNS has told them not to come could have fed and clothed quite a few people. Sorry, but they are not thinking clearly or they would not permit all of the things that are going on there now.

[lawrence01]

We’re so used to bad service

Excerpt:

It matters not to us that majority of deans and veteran nurses doubt the fitness of the 17,000 or so test passers. Like Professional Regulation Commissioner Leonor Rosero, we insist on our wrongs and expect others to accept. Rosero was set to leave for the US yesterday to appeal the blacklist by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools of passers seeking work in America. Yet, CGFNS head Barbara Nichols already told her to not waste time appealing because they want US job applicants to retake Tests 3 and 5 that were marred by leakage. We can’t get into our thick skulls that it’s only us who believe that all the passers, regardless of who cheated, can attain local as well as US licenses as birthright. The whole world is persecuting us, so we yell our voices hoorifice for justice. Meantime, we dilly-dally in prosecuting the two examiners who leaked questionnaires and 11 deans and reviewers who coaxed them into it. We even let Rosero stay in office and junket to America, when she should be indicted as an accessory for attempting to whitewash the misdeed.

We can read the whole article by clicking the link below:

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200702282602.htm

I totally agree w/ the sentiments of the author of that Opinion column. In fact this has been in the back of everyone's mind ever since the peak of the scandal when Rosero was suspiciously too keen on a no re-take stand even though at that time majority of officials wanted a re-take. She then was able to muster the support of the nursing examiners w/c predictively doesn't want a re-take and then some politicians then got in the mix and add in a lawyer (former politician) to support her stand as well.

Now that the CGFNS has officially gave their final decision, the said lawyer is no where to be found maybe because being a lawyer he probably now knows that it is now futile and a good numer of examiners now wants to re-take voluntarily BUT again Rosero stands firm and this is even after CGFNS posted a specific communication to her on their website not to come anymore to Philadelphia as it is futile and that they will not and cannot change their decision.

It gives everyone an impression as to what is it to her? Why is she trying too hard for comfort? This situation gives everyone following her moves, including the author of the said editorial wondering of her moves. It does make everyone wonder on her true reasons and motives. She should be investigated as suggested by the Opinion Columnist.

Also, CGFNS' lawyer disclosed to Sec. Brion that CGFNS has not received any official communication from anyone or group who plans to go to CGFNS' HQ in PA for the appeal. I don't think it is proper to just go to any body's backyard w/o having a proper appointment or a request to grant them an audience. Hope they do not expect CGFNS CEO Ms. Barbara Nichols or any CGFNS official to be on the CGFNS HQ at all times and be ready to receive them at any given time.

[suzanne4, RN]

Every single one of them needs to be investigated in a timely fashion and not even permitted to leave the country until it is completed. Or it will be handled the same way that they have been doing with everything else.

They can do as they please there, but when it comes to patients' lives in the US, they need to keep out of it. Or spend their time going after the schools that are taking huge sums of money but are not providing any training.

Sorry, but when a nurse cannot spike an IV bag or bottle when they get here, or draw up and give an injection; they were not trained as nurses and should not be permitted to use that title. Not sure what they did when they were in school and the instructors were supposed to be teaching.

[brita_mylove]

At first, I was adamant not to take the exam again after all the brouhaha! I did not cheat and it's like telling me, I cheated and it hurts my pride. But however long we argued, :argue:it will just come back to haunt us again for the rest of our lives, so better to retake the test 3 and 5 and be done with it. If we passed it the first time, we will pass it again the second time. Precious time have been wasted. We cannot move on, however or whatever arguments we laid to them, they will never understand the agony we went through even if we are not guilty of the crime. Besides, what is there to fear for retake when they will not revoke our license and they will provide free review centers for us and free test. They have soften the blows and I salute Mrs. Rosero of PRC :bow:and Mrs. Nathanielz of PNA :yeah:for their continuous support for the June Batch 2006. Maraming-Maraming Salamat Po!:yelclap: We truly appreciate your every effort in boosting our morale. :bowingpurHope that you will be made models to other government agencies and not just think of what is good for the country and what they can get from us NURSES but also THINK OF THE WELFARE of every citizens of this country.

June'06 Batch:nurse:

Brita_mylove

[Rep]

Sorry, but when a nurse cannot spike an IV bag or bottle when they get here, or draw up and give an injection; they were not trained as nurses and should not be permitted to use that title. Not sure what they did when they were in school and the instructors were supposed to be teaching.

Memorizing the nursing books so they can pass the NLE.

[Rep]

Move on if you must but remember there are rules to follow. And to go here, you must follow the rules of this land and the rules on how to get here.

IMO, justice can be served if those people involved will be punished but this is just wishful thinking. And those people insisting on appealling the CGFNS decision are looking through a narrow field of vision. Can they understand that no matter what the rules should be followed?

These government officials are making it harder for other Filipino nurses to achieve their dreams. Do what is right and admit they were wrong and move forward for the better. But doing things right is a rare commodity among our Philippine government officials.

[rn4ever?]

folks, it's crystal clear---the decision is final. read on this link: http://www.cgfns.com/sections/about/news/news/2007/02-23-07_philippines.shtml

which part of that link is hard to understand? i believe that no educated and brilliant nurse will have a hard time understanding it. but it is such an embarrassment though that someone as professional and as highly-educated as rosero cannot even honor the comprehensible statement!

[pinoy_guy]

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/32809/team-to-appeal-cgfns-ruling-on-test-retake

team to appeal cgfns ruling on test retake

a five-man team leaves manila sunday morning in a last-ditch effort to appeal to the commission on graduates of foreign nursing schools (cgfns) in philadelphia to reverse its feb 14 decision denying visascreen certificates to filipino nursing graduates who passed the leakage-tainted june 2006 nursing licensure exam.

the team is composed of professional regulation commission (prc) chair leonor rosero, bacolod city rep. monico puentevella, former board of nursing chair eufemia octaviano, fatima university dean remigia nathanielz and alliance of new nurses president renato aquino.

rosero said in an interview on dzmm that cgfns chief executive officer barbara nichols herself scheduled a meeting with the group on monday for the appeal.

the group is proceeding with the us trip despite a statement from cgfns on feb 24 that the decision was final and that there was no provision for an appeal or reconsideration of the cgfns board of trustees simply because there was no higher body to take up the appeal.

the money could have helped fund the retake.

[Rep]

Exactly!

the money could have helped fund the retake.

[praeclarus]

the money could have helped fund the retake.

I definitely agree with you. They probably think that they are doing it for the greater good but they're actually not. They're just giving false hopes for other examinees who are easily swayed. Tsk...Tsk..Tsk.. A very bad move.