Oversupply of nurses, LPNs, CHED's inability to do their role

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This article is quite accurate over-all and any inaccuracies is not because of the author but of his source. The PNA still thinks the LPN is govern by CHED. I would understand if they do not know about working visas for nurses but not knowing that the local LPN is under TESDA (vocational/technical) and not CHED (higher degrees) is in my opinion unforgivable. Not knowing that it is not under CHED but under TESDA may have contributed for LPN schools proliferating in the first place. They are barking on the wrong tree. As far as closing down nursing schools that caters the traditional BSNs, it is indeed the CHED's responsibility to close down sub-standard schools.

*Some excerpts:

Now it is the nurses’ turn. Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) National President Leah Paquiz was also reported to have disclosed that the United States, home to almost 250,000 Filipino nurses, stopped issuing work visas this year because the quota requirement for migrant workers has already been reached. There were 21,000 Filipino nurses seeking employment in the US in 2007.

Dr. Tuazon and Paquiz agree that the oversupply of nurses is fast becoming a serious problem for the country. Yet, local nursing schools, many of them nothing more than diploma mills, continue to graduate thousands of nurses every year. The situation is also being aggravated by government’s move to “ladderize” nursing education so that thousands more can “graduate” as so called practical nurses. Practical Nursing is a two-year course that focuses on the basics of nursing.

“There is no local demand or positions for practical nurses within the Philippine Health Care Delivery system particularly in the light of the oversupply of nurses and subsequent unemployment of graduate nurses,” PNA’s Paquiz emphasized. In a sense, all those schools that have mushroomed in the country overnight promising overseas employment for graduates of this two-year non-degree course are really just scamming hopeful parents and students of their hard-earned (or borrowed) money.

Paquiz said the promise of work abroad is not true as foreign employers prefer the four-year college-degree nurses who passed the Licensure Board Exams. This is why the PNA had asked the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to put a stop to this Practical Nursing program. The PNA “strongly objects to the institution of the Practical Nursing program and vehemently rejects the proposed ladderization of the nursing curriculum,” a PNA statement said.

Our people must now be told that taking up nursing is no longer a foolproof means of getting out of this country to earn enough for a better life. If what the nursing dean is saying is true, a nursing diploma has now become a kind of “fool’s gold” that can only disappoint for those who want a quick ticket out of our country’s poverty. This is more reason why government, through CHED, must cut the number of nursing schools by enforcing tough quality standards on the nursing schools that are allowed to operate.

As of June last year, a staggering total of 632,108 students were enrolled in more than 400 Philippine nursing schools, up 30 percent or 145,875 from the 486,233 enlisted in 2006. TUCP spokesperson Alex Aguilar urged regulators to “be extra vigilant, and see to it that nursing students are kept away from substandard schools.”

CHED’s failure to protect parents and students from substandard nursing schools had also been criticized by the Commission on Audit (COA). In a report to acting CHED Chair Romulo Neri, the COA said it was necessary for CHED to exercise its regulatory function to “maintain and protect standards set to ensure the quality of nursing graduates.”

Fat chance that’s going to happen! CHED had been totally remiss in its duty to regulate nursing schools. We only have to look at the results of the licensure examinations conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission for proof. In that controversial nursing examination in 2006, 42,000 took the exam on June 11 and 12 but ONLY 42 percent passed, despite the leakage.

*Full article: http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008040617

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One year ago and there were 632,000 enrolled in nursing schools there and now the number has soared to 950,000.

The training is definitely not going to be what it was in the past, nor what is has been known for. When you start producing like puppy mills, you get the same outcome, poor specimens.

Not sure where many think that they are going to work? The number that actually can pass the NLE is actually quite low in terms of the number that write the exam, and that should tell you something. Your country as well as most others require the local license to be able to get work experience. We are seeing the US require the local license again in some states just to get licensed and with a five year wait for a chance at a visa, how are you going to work?

And then we are seeing more leave your country to work as care-givers in other countries which is nothing more than being someone's maid, it does not give you experience as an RN either for future employment. But your politicians have put contracts into place and for you to be nothing more than a maid.

That is shameful at the very least, because they cannot do anymore for you, nor are they willing. But want you to send money home to pay their salaries.

Shame on them.................

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Specializes in Neuro-Surgery, Med-Surg, Home Health.
One year ago and there were 632,000 enrolled in nursing schools there and now the number has soared to 950,000.

The training is definitely not going to be what it was in the past, nor what is has been known for. When you start producing like puppy mills, you get the same outcome, poor specimens.

Not sure where many think that they are going to work? The number that actually can pass the NLE is actually quite low in terms of the number that write the exam, and that should tell you something. Your country as well as most others require the local license to be able to get work experience. We are seeing the US require the local license again in some states just to get licensed and with a five year wait for a chance at a visa, how are you going to work?

And then we are seeing more leave your country to work as care-givers in other countries which is nothing more than being someone's maid, it does not give you experience as an RN either for future employment. But your politicians have put contracts into place and for you to be nothing more than a maid.

That is shameful at the very least, because they cannot do anymore for you, nor are they willing. But want you to send money home to pay their salaries.

Shame on them.................

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We get two Filipino channels here in the SF bay Area and one of them reported this morning about nursing jobs that are available in New Zealand and in another Western country.

Actually, a New Zealand government representative was interviewed on t.v. and he reiterated the need for more nurses in New Zealand because of its aging population. They want more Filipino nurses to migrate to New Zealand and the salary that was quoted for nurses in New Zealand is the equivalent of P150,000/month. That is great compared to what nurses earn in the Philippines, and I imagine the cost of living in New Zealand is lower than it is here in the SF Bay Area.

What is the other Western country that this channel reported that is recruiting Filipino RN's you might ask? They said that a recruiting agency "in America", as the report said, is looking for Filipino RN's. I said: "Oh-o! don't they know that there is retrogression?" I bet they do, and this agency probably is not legitimate.

I hope that the tens of thousands of jobless Filipino nurses will not let themselves be victimized. I'm afraid that due to the high number of desperate and jobless nurses in the Philippines, and the competition for nursing jobs is very intense, many of these Filipino nurses desperate for overseas nursing jobs will fall prey to illegal recruiters.

Recruiting agencies don't issue U.S. Visas, only the U.S. Embassy does, therefore Filipino nurses should be reminded that there is about a five-year wait to get any kind of visa for any Filipino nurse wishing to work in the United States.

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This article is quite accurate over-all and any inaccuracies is not because of the author but of his source. The PNA still thinks the LPN is govern by CHED. I would understand if they do not know about working visas for nurses but not knowing that the local LPN is under TESDA (vocational/technical) and not CHED (higher degrees) is in my opinion unforgivable. Not knowing that it is not under CHED but under TESDA may have contributed for LPN schools proliferating in the first place. They are barking on the wrong tree. As far as closing down nursing schools that caters the traditional BSNs, it is indeed the CHED's responsibility to close down sub-standard schools.

*Some excerpts:

*Full article: http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008040617

Hi Lawrence :nuke:

Can you please give me the link of the full article. The one above doesn't show the article.

Thanks :wink2:

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Hi Lawrence :nuke:

Can you please give me the link of the full article. The one above doesn't show the article.

Thanks :wink2:

The link is not available anymore. You better check their archives (Phil star) if it's still there or check another news paper's website w/c keeps their links active. A similar article was also featured in the Inquirer. The author of the article from the Phil. Star is Boo Chanco. Check his previous articles. This article from the Phil. Star came out in April 6 or 7.

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When I was in College, CHED already recommended the closure of several "mushroom" nursing schools in the country including which are the low passing rate schools. However, congressmen blocked the move because these "mushroom" schools are bribing lawmakers with millions just to keep their license and continue their operations. Such a very greedy act.

So students who are taking up nursing, no one is stopping you. It is your right. However, I recommend that you choose your school and plan your education well. With the rising graduates of nursing schools, it is your rigorous education qualification who will help you achieve your dreams. Your foundation is essential in passing all the necessary requirement. Good luck to your plans.

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Specializes in OB.

i'm still a student and i just want to say that the reason many in the philippines take up nursing is because of the media.:down: they always mention the "shortage of nurses" crap and high wages that await those who pass the local licensure exams. they don't give people all the relevant information so the big picture isn't clear to the people who just want to earn money and live a decent life. if you're aware of the situation in this country, then you already know why people would jump to opportunities like that. unfortunately, there are a lot of these so-called mushroom schools around who offer low tuition fees. add to that the idea the middle-class people here have that everyone can be a nurse (i'm not an A-student, but i do know enough to see that there are a lot of students who shouldn't have taken the course).:down: just one student's point of view, though....

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The only authority that can actually curb the so-called 'surplus' of students was the CHED with the recommendations of the Board of Nursing [by law]. Former CHED chairman Fr. de la Rosa resigned because his plan to do just that was stumped at every turn.

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Maybe the Philippine government lacks the political will to address this problem or CHED may have other reason why they can not solve this problem.

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