No More Nurse Volunteer Programs! DOH Orders Termination of "Nurse Volunteer Programs

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Department of Health Secretary Enrique T. ONA, issued memorandum 2011-0238 mandating to terminate all "Nurse Volunteer Programs", "Volunteer Training Programs for Nurses" and all similar or related programs, in all DOH-retained hospitals in the Philippines. "The current practice of registered nurses "volunteering" in hospitals to gain 'work experience' and/or to obtain a certificate of work experience and for purposes of meeting requirements for employment abroad, is not consistent with the provisions of this law (Republic Act 9418: Volunteer Act of 2007)."

In addition, many hospitals have implemented "nurse volunteerism" in the guise of "training programs" in order to justify the collection of "training fees", whereby such basic skills training put no added value to the professional career of the nurses.

Therefore, all DOH hospitals are hereby directed to discontinue all existing programs involving nurses who deliver free services in exchange for work experience/volunteer nurses, volunteer trainings, and all other similar programs. All hospitals-based trainings for nurses should follow a definite career progression to be defined and accredited by the DOH and Professional Regulatory Commision-Board of Nursing.

from: http://nurseslabs.com/news/no-more-nurse-volunteer-programs-doh-orders-termination-of-nurse-volunteer-programs/

SO WHAT NOW?? :uhoh3: :up:/:down:

Specializes in Specialty Clinic.
just an update. east ave. will stop their volunteer program on sept 30th.

How sure are you?

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Yes, East Ave will stop its Volunteer Program as compliance to DOH.

This is one step forward for DOH Hospitals. Remember, private hospitals are not included here.

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A recent mandatory, it will take months or years before hospitals follow this. In the first place, nurses should've not agreed or let themselves be exploited in that volunteer propaganda.

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Specializes in Neuroscience,Aged Care, General Nursing.

Good news!!!! I hope private hospitals will also follow DOH order.Just yesterday a Big hospital in the North halted its Nurse Trainee/Practitioner program. Around 700-800 nurses will no longer work in this hospital beginning October 1st. I hope they will start hiring nurses, I can't really imagine how can 2-4 staff nurse handle 50-60 patients in one floor and 1 staff nurse in a special area with 3-5 critical patients. :cry::cry::cry::cry:

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Specializes in Specialty Clinic.
Good news!!!! I hope private hospitals will also follow DOH order.Just yesterday a Big hospital in the North halted its Nurse Trainee/Practitioner program. Around 700-800 nurses will no longer work in this hospital beginning October 1st. I hope they will start hiring nurses, I can't really imagine how can 2-4 staff nurse handle 50-60 patients in one floor and 1 staff nurse in a special area with 3-5 critical patients. :cry::cry::cry::cry:

May I know what hospital is that? THANKS!

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Yes, East Ave will stop its Volunteer Program as compliance to DOH.

This is one step forward for DOH Hospitals. Remember, private hospitals are not included here.

are you sure that private hospitals are not included?

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i just came from east ave this morning because i was supposed to be sched on the nov-dec batch of volunteers. then the woman on the NTO told us that the memorandum of DOH volunteer program was implemented. :( i don't know, but it was a sad news for me. volunteering in a gov't hospital where there is no payment involved is a big help for us unemployed nurses. the madam in NTO even stated that we should petition and hear out our thoughts regarding the memorandum. she also told us that they're just following orders but there are NO NEW PROGRAM after IMPLEMENTING THE MEMORANDUM. we're just hanged! :uhoh3:

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Specializes in Neuroscience,Aged Care, General Nursing.
May I know what hospital is that? THANKS!

Baguio General Hospital :cool:

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Specializes in Specialty Clinic.
Baguio General Hospital :cool:

Thanks? and you are from the north?

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Specializes in Neuroscience,Aged Care, General Nursing.
Thanks? and you are from the north?

Yup. I'm one of those volunteer nurses from BGH-MC who will no longer continue their training program due to DOH memorandum. ;)

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Specializes in Specialty Clinic.
Yup. I'm one of those volunteer nurses from BGH-MC who will no longer continue their training program due to DOH memorandum. ;)

How long have u been working for them? Im sad about that memo cause im suppose to start as volunteer in EAMC in manila but now what? Im back here in the north and will just find a volunteer work in a private hospital. Im trying to apply in KSA but it is hard cause i only have exp in a clinic. :crying2:

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Come on, this is a good news. We were exploited because we "beg" them to accept us as volunteer or training just to gain experience or have edge from others but in reality they still lack nurses to cater the needs of their patients. So if volunteerism/trainings will be eliminated, then this jobs will be available for us. We can make money for the work and experiences that we toil. For the unexperienced nurses, don't feel sad or bad about this news, you should take in mind that all of us undergo from being a novice nurse and experiences are gained through orientation with the hospital or training wherein we are the ones being payed and not the other way around.

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