Results of June 06 nursing board retake out; 68.96% pass
Failed examinees need to take board again
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) Of the 13,338 nurses who voluntarily retook Tests 3 and 5 of the controversial June 2006 nursing licensure examination, 9,198 or 68.96 percent have passed, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) announced Monday.
The retake of the tests, which was given June 11, was initiated by DoLE to allow nurses who passed the leak-tainted 2006 nursing board and wishing to work in the United States to secure UV VisaScreen certificates as required by the United States' Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).
The list of successful examinees and schedules for the issuance of certificates to the successful examinees, which will begin on September 3 at the office of the Labor Secretary at the seventh floor of the DoLE building at Muralla corner General Luna streets in Intramuros, Manila are posted at http://www.specialnursingreview.dole.gov.ph/SNResult/.
However, although the status of the 4,140 licensed nurses who failed to meet the passing grade of 75% in both tests will not be affected, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said they will need to retake the entire nursing board exam again.
“Those licensed re-takers last June who failed cannot take another retake exam in December,” Brion said in a statement. “But let us not forget that this is just in compliance with the policy of the US.”
“Those already licensed under the 2006 exam but failed to pass the retake can still practice their profession because they are already licensed nurses -- but not in the US,” he added.
Brion said the retake of Tests 3 and 5 -- questions to which were leaked to nursing graduates enrolled in some review centers -- was a onetime opportunity since it was initiated only as an accommodation for those took the 2006 licensure exam.
This was also confirmed by his chief-of-staff, Lily Pineda, who told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview: “This partial re-take is one-time deal.”
Pineda also said that those among the 4,000 who failed the June retake who want to retake the whole nursing board exam would also have to surrender their current nursing licenses because once they decide to do so they forfeit the licenses they earned from passing the 2006 exam.
The discovery of the leaked questions and the resulting scandal prompted the CGFNS not to recognize the licenses of those who passed the 2006 board unless the two tests in question are retaken and passed.
Some 17,000 nursing graduates passed the 2006 board.
Brion said the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) expects 3,000 more 2006 board passers to take the December retake.
He said that, as with those who took the June retake, there will be another round of special review classes to be given by nursing schools starting October.
“Enrollment in the review is free and registration will start in mid-September,” he said.
In the June 2007 re-take exam, 11,172 retake examinees registered for the special review classes but only 8,284 actually attended..
During the June retake, four lawyers hired by the CGFNS observed the conduct of the tests at centers in Manila, Baguio City, Cebu, and Davao.
The successful June retake examinees are advised to strictly follow the schedules posted at the DoLE site for the release of individual Certificates.
Retake passers living outside Metro Manila are advised to register with the DoLE regional office nearest their homes or workplaces. The certificates will be sent in batches to these regional offices by the DoLE central office three days after being notified by these offices.
Representatives or proxies of successful examinees are required to present an authorization letter and a photocopy of the examinees’ Professional Regulation Commission license.
Originally posted at 02:29 pm