Nursing in the Philippines

History

Iloilo Mission Hospital started from a humble beginning.^[1] In 1901, through the efforts of Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Hall, missionaries of the Presbyterian Foreign Mission Board, a temporary bamboo clinic was erected at Calle Amparo (now Ledesma Street), Iloilo City, to serve as a venue for the treatment of health care to the very poor. This was made possible because Andrew Hall was a doctor and his wife was a nurse. Like other professions, nursing in the Philippines evolved from the apprenticeship system. This system laid the foundation upon which the Iloilo Mission Hospital School of Nursing (then Central Philippine College of Nursing and now Central Philippine University College of Nursing) was built and after which other schools of nursing were later patterned.

Education

All registered nurses in the Philippines are required to have a Bachelor's degree in Nursing.^[2]

Legal regulation

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) oversees the licensing of registered nurses as authorized by the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002.

A Professional Regulatory Nursing Board implements and enforces the Nursing Act. The board is composed of a chairperson and six additional members, all of whom are nurses with at least a master's degree and ten years of nursing experience. The board inspects nursing schools, conducts licensure examinations, issues and monitors certificates of licensure, promulgates a code of ethics, participates in recognizing nursing specialty organizations, and prescribes guidelines and regulations governing the profession under the Nursing Act.

In 2009, the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines released a report showing the Top 20 nursing schools in country based on average passing rates in nursing board examinations. The top 20 Nursing Schools in the Philippines with 1000 or more examinees are the following: Silliman University clinched the top post having an average of 96.57 percent followed by the Saint Louis University, 95.42; Trinity University of Asia with 95.06; University of Sto. Tomas, 95.06; Cebu Doctors' University, 91.89; Saint Paul University, 89.79; Central Philippine University, 86.72; De La Salle University-Health Sciences campus, 85.26; Saint Mary’s University, 84.10; San Pedro College, 83. 10; Manila Doctors College, 82.56; Centro Escolar University-Manila, 81.50; Angeles University Foundation, 76.37; Mariano Marcos University, 75.55; University of San Agustin, 73.25; University of Cebu, 70.99; Metropolitan Hospital College of Nursing, 70.54; Ateneo de Davao University, 70.20; San Juan De Dios Education Foundation, 69. 91; and University of St. La Salle, 67.55.^[3]

For 100 to 999 takers the following are the top 20 Nursing Schools in the Philippines: University of the Philippines Manila topped the list with 99.41 percent; followed by Xavier University with 97.82; West Visayas State University, 96.75; St. Paul University-Iloilo, 96.16; University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, 95.80; Cebu Normal University, 94.64; Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 93.14; St. Paul University-Dumaguete, 92.29; Mindanao State University, 92.15; Palawan State University, 92.05; Philippine Christian University, 91.35; Velez College, 90.92; Colegio de Sta. Lourdes of Leyte Foundation, 88. 55; Chinese General Hospital College of Nursing and Liberal Arts, 87.60; St. Paul University-Manila, 85.31; Easter College, 85.26; Southville International School and Colleges, 84.77; St. Paul University-Quezon City, 83.87; Adamson University, 83.57; and Lyceum of the Philippines University with 82.20.^[4]

References

1. ^ Pedregosa, Elmer (2001). History of Iloilo Mission Hospital
2. ^ "Nurse Immigration Information". http://www.nurseimmigrationusa.com/FAQs/FaqsSearch.asp?keyword=board. 
3. ^ Angelo G. Garcia. "152 nursing schools told: Improve or else…". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
4. ^ Hannibal C. Talete. "CHED warns 152 nursing schools for low performance". Balita.ph. Retrieved 2010-04-27.