Nursing deans question oath-taking cancellation

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) and the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing (ADPCN) yesterday questioned the scrapping of the mass oath-taking for those who passed the licensure examination for nurses.

PNA president Dr. Teresita Barcelo said the announcement by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) came “too late in the day,” disappointing not only the nurses but their parents as well.

“Many of these nurses are sons and daughters of migrant workers who come home just to witness them taking their oath. How can we deny that to them? That should have been announced long before,” she said in an interview.

The PRC has decided to shelve the traditional mass oath-taking for newly-licensed nurses as part of the government’s austerity measures. The oath-taking for those who passed the July licensure tests for nurses is expected to be held early next month.

Barcelo claimed that the government has not been spending for this event. The nurses themselves pay a fee of P350 and another P250 for each companion, she said.

“There is no budget from the government for this (oath-taking). None that I know of and if that is the policy, why single out nurses? That should apply to all other professionals. Why do they discriminate (against) us?” Barcelo added.

The PRC’s Board of Nursing (BON) used to collect the fees but due to some controversies, the PNA assumed the task with the supervision of the BON.

The PNA and ADPCN urged the PRC to allow them to push through with the oath-taking for nurses.

“Many parents want to witness this milestone in their children’s life, thus, the mass oath-taking was conceptualized,” Barcelo said.

There are more than 37,000 passers in the July licensure examination for nurses.