sugarplum18PH&USRN

Please read the old/previous posts.

I was in a 6-month training program by a tertiary government hospital and I have not paid them a single cent. Sure, they required a new uniform but that is less than the Php3500 you doled out.

Nurses, why don't you try Illinois? I heard from my former instructor that once you pass the NCLEX, they'll be giving you your very own social security number. He passed the NCLEX in January 2011. Another friend also tried that about 4 years ago so even if she is still here in Manila, she was able to renew her US license because of her SSN provided by Illinois. Unfortunately, in my case, I applied in California and even if I had passed the NCLEX, I can't get my license number because of that missing requirement!

Just a suggestion, why don't you try RAGapuz Review center? They have a lot of branches now. I had my review for the NCLEX-RN from March 1 to 20, 2011 which sir **** handled exclusively (though there are about 3-4 days he was substituted by another brilliant instructor) in SM Manila. I paid Php30,000 for the exclusive review although there's the non-exclusive review that the other instructors will handle for about Php24,000 I think. We're less than 30 students in the exclusive class. When I got home from the review, I try to read my notes and I have about 3 programs (Saunders, Kaplan and Lippincott) in my computer to help me train by answering a lot of NCLEX-type questions, especially those in the new formats. See, you have to train your self to stay as long as you can in front of the PC while analyzing the questions and battling your inner "demons":devil:. I took my exam on April 18 and got my results on May 22 stating that I have passed the NCLEX. My PC shut down at 110.

Not to discourage you:idea: but I believe you have to undergo the 6months training (3 months basic skills training worth Php10000 + 3months special area/dialysis Php10000) that NKTI is offering before you'll be considered as an applicant - that's what the HR representative told me.

What real thing? You mean the start of the training program? Yes, it's quite common although, it may be a bit difficult for you to find a seamstress to make your uniform in less than 2 days. I forgot to add in my first reply that after my panel interview, they gave me the pattern of the uniform. You were probably chosen because you may have a backer who's working for the hospital (even a __________ can get you in, as long as he/she can have an agreement with the training and selections officer which changes every year). Mind you, a backer doesn't have to be your relative but I'm sure you know that. It can be a lady you met in a shop, had a conversation with then next thing you know, she's kinda promising she can get you in at the upcoming batch of trainees. Another factor is that, some of the trainees they've chosen primarily, had backed out of the program because they got hired/is still training in another hospital or got sick or simply just not interested anymore. To meet their quota (less than 25 nurses in a batch, maybe 23), they go back looking in the pile of applicants' folders and call up nurses who may be interested. I'm so grateful for the six months I had spent in this hospital. I learned so many things, met so many people who had touched my life and whose lives I hoped I had affected.:redpinkhe Even if I work/train in the other hospitals, I still find myself comparing that hospital to RMC. There are still a lot of public hospitals out there composed of nurses who can't even smile at you or listen to you when you're asking questions. RMC is so different from them. This institution has a heart and it should be considered a role model to all the other hospitals out there. They are nice to the people not because they are paid to do it, but because they know that a person should always be treated with respect and compassion as something one truly deserves, whichever economic class he/she belongs to.:redbeathe

Hi Rhoia! Exam was okay. It's not too difficult or easy, you just have to remember some of the concepts we had in college like how to do focus charting or computing IV meds. If you still have your handouts during your review for the local board, those should prepare you well. You may need to brush up on some medical-surgical concepts, but don't sweat it. If things hadn't changed, they won't even check the result of the exam first before you have the panel interview on the same day, presumably before 12 noon. When I was in your shoes almost a year ago, (just backread on some posts herehttps://allnurses.com/philippine-nursing-forum/rizal-medical-center-483448-page6.html) there were just a handful of us invited on my exam day. After answering the exam for approximately one and a half hour, each of us is called for a panel interview. When it was my turn, the unit managers asked me some questions, all five of them. Basically, if the unit manager came from the Infection Control unit of the hospital, she will ask you what are ways to prevent nosocomial infections and what's PPE. A word of advice, though it may seem unsolicited, you have to get used to these people looking at you because once you're rendering your service, these unit managers are not the only ones who will be staring at you - patients, their relatives and even some visitors. Everyone is always on the lookout! Yes, this is a public hospital but it places high regard even to the complaint of a lowly utility man if such nurse/doctor is, for example, deemed to be neglecting his responsibilities. They have a good reputation to hold on to. They are, after all, a center of excellence. Also, always bring a lip gloss or lip stick in your pocket because the chief nurse wants all her nurses presentable and neat. I remember she once told me that once you get accepted as a trainee, you were partly chosen because you are beautiful/handsome, not just your skills or backer so it's one of our responsibilities to maintain that beauty.

I passed the exam too. I was even able to attend the orientation yesterday. Duty starts on Aug. 1 til Feb.5, 2012. Shifts include 6AM-2PM, 2PM-10PM and 10PM-6AM. Training fee is Php 4,800.00 for 6months and Php 100.00 for the nameplate. (I'm just not sure if I'm going through with it because I also have other pending applications to hospitals near my current address and they're offering the training for free.) Anyway, I also felt that the list you were referring to are people with connections, backers or what-have-you so I was a bit disheartened. However, I learned from a very reliable source that the list consists of RNs who had not passed the exam but are still being considered anyway because the number of passers did not meet the quota the training office or the nursing service had set per batch. We were told there are 204/240 RNs for this batch, which may/may not include the absentees. People with "talents" are singled out from the batch because of the upcoming activities in the hospital. Good luck!

To enigmatic24 Sorry for this late reply. I'm not sure if you'll be having the same exam as the one I took last year, not to mention that it was SO LONG AGO. One thing I'm certain is that it was a multiple choice exam. I remember having acid-base balances, IV fluid computation, dopamine/dobutamine computation. That's all I can remember now. I suggest you also brush up on normal values. Hope this post may still help.

i like your nick/username. hopefully, i'd be just like you too when the letter comes from cabon this may (keeping my fingers crossed!) anyway, i just want to ask are you sure with this date for the release of the dean's forms?! if yes, then i'll see you on may 9! thanks!

Thanks for that info! However, may I ask how to go there from Marikina Sports Complex? That'll be my landmark. Please tell me which jeeps to ride, etc. I'd really appreciate the help!

I believe that a doctor's order for a medication is strongly needed for LEGAL purposes and apart from that he/she must also write this in the Physician's Notes of the patient's chart justifying that he/she called for this med to be administered. They PRESCRIBE the medications - its dosage, how much the patient should take and how frequent it must be, not us nurses. The knowledge that we have about therapeutic levels of drugs are really useful, especially when we read back to them their orders (in that way, when we notice an error, we can politely tell them that there is a mistake on the dose of the med, etc.) before we carry them out. However, if the doctor ordered a medication and you as a nurse believe that it's wrong, you can always tell the nurse supervisor/unit manager/senior nurse in your ward regarding the situation.

Choose TMC! :) It's a tertiary hospital with world-class facilities and I strongly believe that with that kind of experience, it can take you anywhere!

In most trainings, like the one I'm in now, you will first be assigned to the wards then your performance will be evaluated after 3-4 months to see if you can be trusted enough to be assigned at the special areas like OR, DR and ICU. Hope this enlightens you. Good luck!