Philippine Nurses Assoc...SILENCE?

[Hoss]

I find it very odd indeed that in all the discussions on this forum about scams with recruiting agencies, poor performing nursing schools, licensure exam cheating, pitiful salary ranges for nurses and terrible failures in proper clinical training of nurses, that the PNA has not made any reference to actively get involved in these issues either through the mainstream media in the Philippines or, at least, speaking out here on this forum.

These and other issues that plague nurses here are reaching critical mass and are in desperate need of national government intervention, criminal prosecution from law enforcement for scamming recruiters and review centers, and advocacy from the professional medical groups, ESPECIALLY the nursing councils!!

My question then is obvious; why the SILENCE? Is the PNA the organization for all nurses that should be leading the efforts on their behalf? Or is the PNA simply a paper organization that serves a few administrators who collect dues and turn a blind eye to the desperate needs of nurses in this country?

My recent visit to the site http://www.pna-ph.org/mainframe.html

revealed the only "hot" news item is an appeal to the government not to let waitresses and dolls be dressed up as nurses in a sexy, provocative way. Now while this is important to the basic image of nurses in general, it is a pathetic demonstration of a lack of priorities considering the problems facing nurses in the Philippines.

Where is the public relations efforts to the media regarding the urgent need for decent salary and working conditions for nurses? Where is the demand for prosecution of scam artist recruiters and review centers that rob graduate nurses of their money? Where is the call to the CHED to focus on diploma mills and horrible clinical training of the current student nursing population?

Suzanne has posted a call for "improving nursing opportunities in the Philippines" while retrogression halts overseas nursing jobs. I suggest that those nurses who are PNA members answer her by petitioning the Philippine Nursing Association to lead the first response to Suzanne's call with ADVOCACY FOR NURSES.....not just remain SILENT!!

IMHO

Hoss (husband and father of 4 of the finest future caregivers in the world, Filipino Nurses!)

[nrswnabee]

maybe, n.a. in their name also stands for "no action" errr, neutrally apathetic. utterly disappointing because they should be the prime movers and shakers for much-needed changes in the field.

[suzanne4, RN]

That is why I started that new thread in the stickies above. Perhaps we can give them some ideas as to what needs to be done to get the respect back that used to be there, but has fallen by the wayside.

If you do not even have their backing, how can you expect anything else to get fixed.

Put your responses above and we will seen what we can get done. A group like ours has a better chance of making things happen.

[13th stranger]

i honestly am disappointed with the PNA. ever since i became a registered nurse two years ago, i have not availed of, participated in, nor even heard of of any activity from the PNA. perhaps they might say ignorance is not an excuse, but when i say i am ignorant of the purpose of the PNA, i believe the fault is not mine alone.

every year since becoming registred, we pay 300php (each nurse) to get the PNA card, the purpose of which is something i have yet to understand. i pay to be recognized as someone part of the group, but the group is not showing me anything to acknowledge my membership with them.

[crossbow]

i honestly am disappointed with the PNA. ever since i became a registered nurse two years ago, i have not availed of, participated in, nor even heard of of any activity from the PNA. perhaps they might say ignorance is not an excuse, but when i say i am ignorant of the purpose of the PNA, i believe the fault is not mine alone.

every year since becoming registred, we pay 300php (each nurse) to get the PNA card, the purpose of which is something i have yet to understand. i pay to be recognized as someone part of the group, but the group is not showing me anything to acknowledge my membership with them.

I too am disappointed. The PNA needs dynamic leadership.

[Lorodz]

what can we do then? we just cant complain and do nothing. we should do something