16. July 2007 by dmo.

In February of this year, the NCSBN designated the Philippines as one of the newest international testing center to administer the NCLEX examinations.  Many Filipinos are very happy and excited about this news as this will make it a lot more convenient for them to take the exam instead of going to a nearby country, like China (Hong Kong).  This privilege will definitely help a lot of Filipino nurses in their dream to become qualified as a nurse in the US.

Starting July 13, 2007, the International Pearson Professional Center in Manila will  begin scheduling for examination appointments. The NCSBN is pleased to announce the first administration of the NCLEX examination in Manila will be in August 23, 2007.  With this announcement, good luck to the first batch of test takers and may this prove our pride as Filipino nurses in the US.

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

8. March 2007 by dmo.

The Philippine panel team failed in their appeal to the CGFNS on Monday, March 5th.  The CGFNS Board of Trustees President Dr. Lucille Joel, CEO Dr. Barbara Nichols and counsel to the CGFNS John Ratigan gave the panel team a chance to present their concerns on their decision to deny the VisaScreen Certificate to the June 2006 board passers.  However, after listening to their concerns and reviewing them, the CGFNS explained that their decision was based on the US immigration law and was not subject to re-negotiation or further review. In fact, they were aware of the concerns even before as they have conducted their own investigation of the issue and have gathered the same information they presented on the meeting.  Although, the CGFNS agreed to meet with the Philippine panel team, they were very firm from the start that their decision is final.

The CGFNS has been fair in presenting the facts to the public regarding this issue from the start.  They have everything published on their website to avoid misleading information from the media.  They are aware of how the issue has been exaggerated in the news, and sometimes giving the wrong information to the Filipino nurses and thus leading to confusion.  They are hoping that the Philippine panel team would relay the same information as what has been really tackled in the meeting, and that the media would do the same.  All the details of this final announcement of the CGFNS on this matter can be found on the CGFNS website .

This resolves the issue of the re-take.  If you are one of the June 2006 board passers who want to work in the US in the future, it is best that you prepare for the test parts 3 and 5 of the exam.  The Philippine government will subsidize the examination costs and a couple of top schools are going to provide free review classes.  Re-taking the exam does not mean you will lose your license if you fail.  It only means you have to pass those sections again to be eligible to receive a VisaScreen Certificate.  Have courage and take the exam.  Filipino Nurses 2 US supports the June 2006 board exam passers.  You can do it!

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

4. March 2007 by dmo.

After the PRC provided all the documentation relating to the controversial June 2006 Nursing Licensure Exam to the CGFNS for reconsideration, the CGFNS has scheduled a sit down meeting with the panel team to personally present their appeal.  Despite the public announcement by the CGFNS that their decision is final, and that they do not have a higher body to accommodate an appeal,  the Philippine Regulatory Commissions continues to insist on explaining their side, hoping for a reconsideration. 

On Saturday, March 3rd, the panel team left the Philippines to appeal to the CGFNS in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The team is composed of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentebella, Leonor Rosero, chairman of the
Professional Regulation Commission, Remigia Nathanielz, Fatima
University official and Renato Aquino, president of the nursing batch
of 2006.  The CGFNS Chief, Dr. Barbara Nichols, has scheduled the meeting for Monday, March 5th.

The PRC team is hopeful that the CGFNS can be convinced to reverse their decision after a personal meeting with them.  They are looking at Nichols acceptance of a personal presentation of their appeal as a positive sign.  This appeal was suggested to the PRC by US Embassy Consul General Richard Haynes as their best approach.

It is unlikely that the CGFNS will reconsider their "final decision" so we can only wait and see if the PRC will finally accept the reality of that.

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27. February 2007 by dmo.

Over the last two weeks, VisaScreen Certificates for Filipino nurses who took the June 2006 board exam has been a hot topic.  17,000 Filipino nurses are affected by the decision of the CGFNS to force a partial retake of the test.  The Philippine Department of Labor and Employment agreed to a voluntary or optional retake of the test parts 3 and 5 of the controversial exam if the board passers wish to work in the US under an occupational visa.  The retake will be subsidized by the Philippine government, and will not mean cancellation of the issued licenses.  The retake is only a requirement of the CGFNS for VisaScreen Certificate eligibility.  They are saying that the June 2006 board passers will only be eligible to receive a VisaScreen Certificate if they retake the test parts 3 and 5 and pass them again.

The CGFNS explained their reasons to the Philippine government as to how they come up with the decision.  The excerpt of the conversation between the CGFNS and the PRC was published on the CGFNS website, as well as their thorough explanation as to the basis of their decision.  The CGFNS wants all this information open to the public to avoid internal negotiation.  Their ruling has a valid basis and no one can break that rule.

The Philippine Regulatory Commission, with the support of the Philippine government, insists on an appeal.  They are supposed to travel to the CGFNS Head Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday, but the trip was postponed until the CGFNS gives them the go signal to do so.  The CGFNS wants the PRC to submit documentations related to the curative measure they used on the controversial exam, before they can set an appointment.  The Philippine government is insistent on an appeal, however the CGFNS has stated already that their decision is final.

The Philippine president, Arroyo, supports the panel team who will appeal to the CGFNS for reconsideration.  She is hoping that the CGFNS will reconsider their decision after re-evaluation of the documentation and the personal appeal of the panel team.  She wants to wait for the result of the appeal before she finally orders a retake.  They have until March 4 to try to convince the CGFNS to change their decision.

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

25. February 2007 by dmo.

The chairperson of the Philippine Regulatory Commission, Dr. Leonor Rosero, spoke with the CGFNS Head, Dr. Barbara Nichols, on the phone on Saturday.  Dr. Nichols confirmed that the panel’s decision on the retake was final.  In fact, the decision of the Board was unanimous.  She explained that they do not have a provision for an appeal or any sort of reconsideration once the decision has been made.  Although the CGFNS is a private, non-profit organization, they are covered by the US immigration law, which was the basis of their decision.  Upon investigating the case,  they have found that the Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination in June 2006 was not comparable to the US Nursing Licensure.  However, they will still give an opportunity to those who are affected to be issued a VisaScreen Certificate.  If they retake the test parts 3 and 5 and pass the exam, then they will be eligible for the VisaScreen Certificate.

Despite this statement from the Head of the CGFNS, Dr. Rosero still insists on appealing to the CGFNS.  She will head a team of government officials and private sector representatives to personally appeal to the CGFNS in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday. Dr. Rosero said, “We will try to make an appeal; we’ll give them additional information in case they reconsider their decision.”

On the other hand, the Department of Labor and Employment has already drafted rules for the retake of the exam.  Labor Secretary, Arturo Brion, said, “The retake shall be on a voluntary basis and shall be offered once to
an examinee who may take it either in the June or December 2007 board
exams.”  He emphasized that the retake will be held in a manner that would avoid any question about the validity of the licenses the nurses have been issued pursuant to the June 2006 board exam.  “This will also serve as a measure to enhance our nurses’ employability,” he added.

The CGFNS has made their statement on this matter, and declared that the decision is final.  The June 2006 nursing board passers must accept that the only way to resolve this dilemma is to retake the exam.

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

24. February 2007 by dmo.

Every three years, the NCSBN restructures the NCLEX test plan based on the practice analysis study they conduct with newly registered nurses.  They gather data on the current practice of the entry-level nurse to develop a new test plan, which serves as guide for the development of the examination and the preparation of the candidate as well.  Every aspiring candidate to become a registered nurse in the US should be familiar with the test plan to better prepare for the exam.  In our December article on NCLEX Test Plan ,  we discussed how you can familiarize yourself with the NCLEX test plan.

A new passing rate standard, which will be implemented on April 1, 2007, will be used in the NCLEX-RN test plan.  This test plan, which has been implemented in April 2006, was based on the results of the Report of Findings from the 2005 RN Practice Analysis: Linking the NCLEX-RN Examination to Practice, and the expert judgment of the NCSBN Examination Committee.  They use the framework of the Client Needs as the core of the examination as they believe it provides a universal structure for defining nursing actions and competencies, and focuses on clients in all settings.

The four major categories of the Client Needs and the subcategories are as follows:

Safe, Effective Care Environment:

• 13% to 19% - Management of Care
• 8% to 14% - Safety and Infection Control

Health Promotion and Maintenance

• 6% to 12% - Health Promotion and Maintenance

Psychosocial Integrity

• 6% to 12% - Psychosocial Integrity

Physiological Integrity

• 6% to 12% - Basic Care and Comfort
• 13%  to 19% - Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies
• 13% to 19% - Reduction of Risk Potential
• 11% to 17% - Physiological Adaptation

Even though the NCLEX will not be administered in the Philippines until late this year or early next year, this will help our other fellow nurses to prepare for the NCLEX examination, especially for the higher passing standard the NCSBN has set on the new exam.

To view the NCLEX 2007 Test Plan, click here .

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

22. February 2007 by dmo.

The Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) in the Philippines is being held twice a year, once in June and once in December.  In 2006, the June NLE, which was held on the 11th and the 12th, became controversial because of the issue of a leak of parts of the exam.  Only now however is the Philippines experiencing the final outcome of this event.

The decision of the CGFNS on issuing VisaScreen Certificates to the June 2006 Board Exam passers is a big pain to both the affected nurses and the Philippine’s government.  President Arroyo wants to appeal to the CGFNS to reconsider their decision on this issue.  They are planning an informal talk with the CGFNS to ask for a flexible implementation of its policy.

Previously the Philippine Regulation Commissions (PRC) only allowed 1,200 test takers from the June 2006 Board Exam to retake the test parts 3 and 5, but now they are allowing a voluntary retake of the two test parts for all those affected by the CGFNS policy. The 17,000 June 2006 Board Exam passers have the prerogative to take the test parts 3 and 5, if they want to qualify for the VisaScreen Certificate, however they take the risk of losing their licenses if they fail the exam this time.

The June 2006 Nursing Board Exam was a mess that the Philippine government was obviously unable to polish.  The curative measure the PRC attempted was not very clear to many, and did not seem to be fair to all the test takers. What they should have done was ordered a retake of all the test takers regardless if they cheated on those parts of the test or not.  Besides, there was no accurate way to determine who really cheated.  The issue wouldn’t have gone to this embarrassment only if the government had taken the appropriate action from the beginning.

Those who were spared from retake and passed should have no fear to retake the test parts 3 and 5.  Whether or not you are wanting to work in the US, you should go for a retake so that you can fully claim you are a full-fledged nurse.  This will once and for all regain the pride of Filipino Nurses in the world, and especially the United States.

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

17. February 2007 by dmo.

Previously we discussed the immigration process for VisaScreen®. Now that the CGFNS will not issue VisaScreen® Certificates to our fellow nurses who passed the June 2006 Nursing Board Exams in the Philippines, we want to differentiate CGFNS Certificate from the VisaScreen® Certificate.

A “CGFNS Certificate” is awarded after the successful completion of the CGFNS Certification Program. The Program is designed specifically for first-level, general nurses educated and licensed outside the United States who wish to assess their chances of passing the NCLEX exam, and attaining licensure to practice as registered nurses within the United States. The program is comprised of three parts: a credentials review of the nurse’s education, registration and licensure; the  CGFNS Qualifying Exam, a one-day qualifying exam testing nursing knowledge; and an English language proficiency exam. Nurses who do not hold a state licensure in their state of intended practice must have a CGFNS certificate in order to file an immigrant visa petition. Also, many state boards of nursing require the CGFNS Certificate for state licensure.

The “VisaScreen® Certificate” by contrast is needed for consular processing or adjustment of status. The document must be presented to a consular office or, in the case of adjustment of status, the USCIS, as part of a visa application. The VisaScreen® Certificate evidences that the holder has completed a required screening program for health care professionals (other than physicians) in order to qualify for certain occupational visas. Screening includes an assessment of the applicant’s education to ensure it is comparable to a U.S. graduate in that same profession; verification that licenses are valid and unencumbered; English language proficiency; and, in the case of nurses, verification that the nurse has either earned a CGFNS Certificate or passed the NCLEX exam. Since July 26, 2004, it has been necessary for any non-immigrant nurse seeking admission to the United States to obtain a VisaScreen®.

We will discuss more on VisaScreen® in our future articles.

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

16. February 2007 by dmo.

After the good news on the approval of the administration of NCLEX in the Philippines,  the CGFNS has announced the denial of VisaScreen Certificates to those who passed the June 2006 Nursing Board Exam.

The June 2006 Nursing Board Exam in the Philippines has been controversial due to the issue on leakage.  It was believed that test parts 3 and 5 of the exam leaked prior the examination day, which the Philippine Regulation Commissions (PRC) claimed to have resolved before they released the results.  This event has lead to the resignation of the former Philippine Nurses Association President, and the dismissal from position of the two Board Examiners, who were accused of being responsible for the said leak.  The National Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation on the issue, and submitted their report to the Court of Appeals.  After a thorough analysis of the case, the Court of Appeals then ordered that only 1,200 examinees from the June 2006 Nursing Board Exam would retake the test parts 3 and 5.

With the success of the December 2006 Nursing Board Exam and the approval of the NCLEX Testing Site in the Philippines, many have thought the issue on the leakage was already forgotten.  However, we may want to analyze the events on how the United States would want to handle this issue and protect the health care in their country.  Even before the NCSBN announced the NCLEX Testing Site in the Philippines, they had announced an increased standard in passing the NCLEX Exam.  And soon after the announcement of the approval of the NCLEX administration in the Philippines, the CGFNS announced the denial of the VisaScreen Certificates for those who passed the June 2006 Nursing Board Exam.  These events did not happen by coincidence, but rather serves as a warning to the Philippines that such an anomaly will not be tolerated in the US, and that the US standard for nursing must be met to qualify as a nurse there.

With this announcement of the CGFNS on February 14th,  they urge the Philippines to order a re-take of the test parts 3 and 5 of the exam to those who passed the June 2006 Nursing Board Exams.  They said they would reconsider those who would re-take the said parts of the test only if they passed them again.

The PRC did not order a re-take of the test parts 3 and 4 for all those who took the June 2006 Nursing Board Exam, but only to those who failed and who they think failed because they were affected by the re-computation, or curative measure, as they called it.  Now, that their so called “curative measure” was not acceptable to the CGFNS, would they reconsider their former decision?

The source article for this news can be found at the CGFNS website.

Posted in CGFNS/NCLEX | No Comments »

10. February 2007 by dmo.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has finally approved the Philippines as a new International Site for NCLEX Examinations.  The Philippines has long been awaiting for this good news since there are thousands of Filipino Nurses who will benefit from this.  On February 8th, the NCSBN’s Board of Directors made the decision to expand the number of testing sites.  And they have selected Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, as a new site for administration of the NCLEX examinations.

The Philippines, being one of the largest sources of nurses in the US, has once again proved its reputation for Filipino nurses.  The problems in security instability in the Philippines did not hinder the NCSBN to make this decision.  Faith Fields, MSN, RN, president, NCSBN Board of Directors, comments,
“The Philippine government has shown a deep commitment to ensuring a
secure test center in Manila and has been very responsive to NCSBN
concerns. Placing a test site in the Philippines will allow for greater
customer service to nurses without compromising the goal of
safeguarding the public health, safety and welfare of patients in the
U.S.”

The NCSBN has not set a schedule for implementation of the new testing site yet.  It will depend on how fast the Pearson Vue can prepare the testing center.  All security policies and procedures currently used to administer the NCLEX examination in all other testing centers will be fully implemented at the Manila testing center.  The testing center in Manila for NCLEX will be intended for the purposes of domestic nurse licensure in the US states and territories.

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