Hospital in KSA Offers Lucrative Job Offer To OFWs

Job opportunities

for Filipino medical professionals abroad continue to emerge as the demand for manpower continues to arise.

International Medical Center (under POEA Reg.# 10072362) in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced their need of highly skilled and experienced Filipino medical professionals.

According to Career Planners Specialists International Inc., the local recruitment partner of the IMC in the country, the hospital need hundreds of nurses

, radiology nurses, Cardiac-CATH Lab nurses, medical technologists, midwives, radiologists, aestheticians (facial/slimming/spa services), sonographers, respiratory and physical therapists.

For nursing staff, the IMC needs nurses to be deployed in ICU, NICU-Nursery, PICU, CCU-Cardio, OPD, labor and delivery, Gynae, VIP and Private Nurses, Medical, surgical, Emergency Rooms, OR-PACU, Elderly or Long Term Care, OB, Pediatrics and L&D Specialists.

As for medical technicians, the hospital needs nuclear medical technicians, cast technicians, EMG technicians, CSSD technicians, CATH-Lab technicians and ECG/ECHO technicians.

Successful applicants will sign a very lucrative 2-year contract with IMC which covers salary and benefits.

The IMC offers TAX-Free salary which ranges from USD800-USD1,250 or Php60,000 a month which varies depending on the length of experience and expertise of the applicant. The IMC also assure applicants that application has no placement fee.

Successful applicants may also get free perks such as roundtrip air tickets, accommodation, transportation, in-service education, 2-years contract with yearly paid vacation with air ticket, medical insurance and free lqma (KSA working visa).

Applicants must have at least 2 year experience in the position that they are applying for and must have worked in a 150-bed capacity hospital. Other documents such as comprehensive resume, transcript of records, certification of employment, license issued by the Professional Regulations Commission and a ready passport should be presented.

However, Career Planners and IMC cleared that there are no specific vacancies needed to be filled. The hospital will hire according to how many applicants will pass the interview. The application is also continuous.

Career Planner urged interested applicants to apply as early as possible since employers from the IMC will visit the country for the final interview on November 11 to 19, 2009.

Interested applicants may visit Career Planners at 2/F David Bldg. II, 561 Shaw Blvd Mandaluyong City or call them at 7230686/7238730. To check other jobs available posted by Career Planners, visit their workabroad.ph page at careerplanners.workabroad.ph.

152 Nursing Schools Face Closure Due To Poor Performance

The Commission on Higher Education finally revealed the 152 colleges and universities that are asked to close down or stop offering nursing courses due to poor passing percentages in the nursing licensure examination for the past five years.

However, CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles said that the said schools will be given another chance in next years nursing licensure exam.

Angeles added that their punishment to the poorest-performing schools aims to give them a lesson, its a warning for them.

This is a wake up call to our nursing schools to shape up or phase out. They are challenged to improve their quality, Angeles said.

Aside from the aim of help parents and students to pick the best nursing schools that would really give them quality education, CHEDs move would also help the economy.

With this move, we are helping not only the parents and students to carefully choose the nursing schools they go to, but we are helping our economy by minimizing frustrations and wastages among our nursing graduates when they take the licensure exams and make sure that they get quality by adhering to world class standards that we are now imposing.,.

The 152 nursing schools failed to get a passing percentage of 46.14 for the past five years.

Metro Manila shares the most number of schools that were asked to take necessary actions. Those were: Arellano University-Manila, Arellano University-Pasay, Delos Santos-STI College,Emilio Aguinaldo College, J.P. Sison General Hospitaland Colleges, La Consolacion College-Manila, Las Pinas College, Martinez Memorial College, Mary Chiles College,Olivarez College, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay, Perpetual Help College of Manila, Philippine Colleges of Health and Sciences, Philippine Rehabilitation Institute Foundation, Southeast Asian Colleges, St. Jude College, St. Rita Hospital College of Nursing and Midwifery, STI-College Recto, the Family Clinic, Unciano Colleges and General Hospital, University of Perpetual Help-Rizal, and World Citi Colleges-Quezon City.

Calabarzon also has 23 schools in the list followed by Central Luzonwith 20. Illocos Region, 16; Bicol Region, 14; SOCCKSARGEN, 8; Northern Mindanao, 7; Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao region and Cordillera Administrative Region, 6; Cagayan Valley and Central Visayas, 5; CARAGA region, 3; and Eastern Visayas and Mimaropa region, 1.

Angeles cleared that the CHED has fairly evaluate each nursing schools.

To be fair to all the schools, we had to do a lot of verification,he said.

Starting next year, CHED will enforce a rule that schools with below five percent performance in the licensure exam for three consecutive will face revocation with their permits and will asked to phase out their course offered.

On the other hand, some universities and colleges had already stopped offering nursing courses such as: Bacarra Medical Center School of Midwifery, Antipolo School of Mursing and Midwifery, Heroes Memorial College, Kolehiyo ng Mamamayan, Cotabato Maritime Academy, Ignatian College, Clinica Arellano School of Midwifery, Quezon Memorial College, Sta. Teresita College, Baguio General Hospital, Chong Jua Hospital School of Nursing, Faith Hospital School of Midwifery, Manila College of Optometry, Ortanez University, and the Philippine Union College of Caloocan.

DECISION OF BICAMERAL CONFERENCE: DENIES FILIPINO NURSES' RIGHT TO HUMANE SALARIES, A DISRESPECT TO NURSING LAW (RA 9173)

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) vehemently
declares the decision of the Bicameral Conference
yesterday afternoon (June 1, 2009 at 3:00 pm) held in
Tanada Room of Senate as an "ACT OF INJUSTICE"  and
"INHUMANE TREATMENT"  TO FILIPINO NURSES.  In the
Salary Standardization Law III that was approved in the
said Bicameral Conference, the entry salary of one nurse
in the government has been pegged to Salary Grade 11
which in  numerical terms means additional Php6,000
spread in 4 years. "This is an act of injustice to
Filipino Nurses", according to Dr. Teresita
Irigo-Barcelo, the PNA National President.  She further
elaborated that in the last seven (7) years, the
government deprived the Filipino Nurses of their right to
Salary Grade 15 entry level salary mandated in the
Nursing Law (Republic Act 9173).  Thus, the decision of
the Bicameral Conference literally "killed" the said
law, denying Filipino Nurses' right to humane salaries.

The government remained deaf to the cry of our own nurses
for a living wage.  At the midst of global crisis and
emerging health crisis such as the H1N1 pandemic issue,
Filipino nurses delivered services to the best of their
ability to save thousands of lives.  But these nurses are
also human beings with basic needs for survival.  How can
they serve more efficiently if they, too, are dying of
hunger and are not able to access health services
themselves because of starving salaries?  How can the
government respond to the prevailing health crisis if its
poor citizens cannot access health services because
thousands of Filipino nurses are leaving the country?

The Bicameral decision unmasked the government's apathy
to the plight of our poor Filipino people who have no
access to quality health services.  With the disapproval
of SG 15, thousands more nurses will leave the country
aggravating the inaccessibility of poor people to health
services.   Filipino nurses must affirm its stand against
all forms of injustice that denies the basic right of
Filipino people to quality life!



Teresita I. Barcelo, PhD, RN
National President 
June 3, 2009

NEW ZEALAND REMAINS OPEN TO FILIPINO NURSES

PNA PRESS RELEASE
NEW ZEALAND REMAINS OPEN TO FILIPINO NURSES


Filipino nurses are very much welcome to work in New
Zealand, contrary to earlier reports circulating in the
press and broadcast media. This was the assurance given
by visiting executives of the Nursing Council of New
Zealand to the Department of Foreign Affairs, even as New
Zealand continues to adopt measures to facilitate the
continued entry of competent foreign nurses into the
country.

The assurance was given by Chief Executive Ms. Carolyn
Reed and Registration Manager Ms. Andrea McCance both of
the Nursing Council of New Zealand, during their call on
Dr. Teresita Barcelo, President of the Philippine Nurses
Association (PNA) and Dean Carmelita Divinagracia,
President of the Association of Deans of Philippine
Colleges of Nursing (ADPCN). The DFA was represented by
ASPAC Director J. Susana Paez and OUIER Director Eric
Gerardo Tamayo.

The council executives visited the Philippines upon the
suggestion of Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand
Bienvenido Tejano, and in their hope of undertaking
consultations with their counterparts in the Philippines.
The Executives held separate meetings with officials of
the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) and the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Ms. McCance further informed that rather than
discriminating against foreign nurses, the Nursing
Council has been making it less complicated for qualified
foreign nurses to come to New Zealand. Steps they have
taken include providing complete information in its
website, and staggering the completion requirement of
completing seven (7) bands under the International
English Language Testing System (IELTS) which includes
the option of taking the IELTS in the country of origin.
The Council officials cite a very low failure rate in the
required competency assessment program, and observed that
Filipino nurse candidates are able to successfully hurdle
the prescribed bridging program.

Ms. Reed informed that Filipinos comprise the second
largest number of foreign nurses. About 200 Filipino
nurses are registered in New Zealand every year. Most of
those who are registered find work in homes for elder
care - some in remote areas. The Council, the PNA and the
DFA noted the difficult cultural adjustment process in
such a situation and the need to ensure the welfare of
Filipino nurses.

Ms. Reed expressed regret at the nuisance and confusion
brought about earlier by erroneous media reporting on
disparaging statements questioning the competence of
Filipino nurses. Such remarks were made by other parties
who are not connected with the New Zealand Nursing
Council or the New Zealand Government.

Ms Reed and Ms. McCance clarified that the issuance of
residency visas is beyond the scope of their work, but a
foreign nurse registered with them presents such
registration in support of a separate proper residency
status application with New Zealand immigration
authorities. The Nursing Council encourages direct
applications rather than coursing registration via
recruitment agencies.

The visiting executives were briefed by Dr. Barcelo on
the role of the PNA, while Dean Divinagracia presented
the Philippines' BSN curriculum and the educational
standards for registered nurses in the Philippines. Ms.
Reed expressed her appreciation that the meeting
facilitated their understanding of the Philippine nursing
program for purposes of matching course requirements.

The DFA encouraged the Nursing Council, PNA and ADPCN to
pursue and adopt a practice done with other countries, of
having school registrars identify and match subjects with
foreign government requirements on the applicant's
transcript of records. This would also facilitate the
evaluation of those pursuing nursing as a second degree.
This measure would also help the Council ensure that
nurses registering in New Zealand are indeed
International Qualified Nurses (IQN) suitable for the
country's healthcare standards.

The meeting's outcome assures an open line of
communication between the Council and the nurses sector
in the Philippines, and augurs well for better
opportunities for Filipino nurses and the adoption of
relevant programs to further uplift the nursing
profession in the country. END



TERESITA IRIGO-BARCELO, PhD, RN
National President

Fewer Filipino Nurses Seeking U.S. Jobs

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino nurses are now shying away from the United States because of the prevailing financial crisis there, reports the Philippine Star. Fewer Filipino nurses sought employment in the United States in the first half of the year as the country sank into recession, according to the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

TUCP secretary-general and former senator Ernesto Herrera said the number of Filipino nurses aspiring to work in the United States plunged by 16 percent compared to the first semester of 2008. “The deepening recession in America has clearly diminished the desire of Filipino nurses to seek employment there,” Herrera pointed out.

He said that a total of 8,272 Filipino nurses took the U.S. National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for the first time (non-repeaters) from January to June, 1,565 fewer compared to the 9,837 who took the test in the same six-month period in 2008. A total of 20,746 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time for the whole year of 2008, and Herrera said the number was lower by 3.5 percent compared to the 21,299 Filipino nurses that took the test for the first time in 2007. Filipino nurses accounted for 37 percent of the 22,500 foreign-educated nurses who took the NCLEX for the first time in the first semester.

updated IVT sched....

SEPTEMBER 2009

Sept. 01, 2009 - Sept. 03, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City
Sept. 04, 2009 - Sept. 06, 2009 - St. Paul Hospital, Cavite
Sept. 08, 2009 - Sept. 10, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City
Sept. 10, 2009 - Sept. 12, 2009 - Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center, Mandaluyong City
Sept. 15, 2009 - Sept. 17, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City
Sept. 16, 2009 - Sept. 18, 2009 - Medical Center Imus, Imus Cavite
Sept. 22, 2009 - Sept. 24, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City
Sept. 23, 2009 - Sept. 25, 2009 - Medical Center Imus, Imus, Cavite
Sept. 27, 2009 - Sept. 29, 2009 - Bulacan Medical Center, Malolos City, Bulacan
Sept. 29, 2009 - Oct. 01, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City

OCTOBER 2009

Oct. 06, 2009 - Oct. 08, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City^
Oct. 21, 2009 - Oct. 23, 2009 - Philippine Heart Center, Quezon City
Oct. 13, 2009 - Oct. 15, 2009 - Martinez Memorial Hospital, Caloocan City^
Oct. 27, 2009 - Oct. 29, 2009 - Bulacan Medical Center, Malolos City, Bulacan^

NOVEMBER 2009

Nov. 10, 2009 - Nov. 12, 2009 - Philippine Heart Center, Quezon City


* Schedules are subject to change without prior notice. ANSAP only accredits hospitals offering basic IVT training and updates.

** Contact the respective hospitals for further details regarding IVT training registration.

*** Please check your local hospitals for any ANSAP-accredited basic IVT training programs, some are not listed in the schedules.

**** Basic IVT Training Fees range from Php 1,500 to P3,000 depending on the hospital's discretion.

Training cum employment program for nurses gains more support

Support for the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS) program, which has already deployed more than 5,000 unemployed registered nurses nationwide, continues to "snowball" with a healthcare foundation committing to sponsor the deployment of an additional 100 nurses to another 20 needy municipalities.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said that the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation (Phils.), Inc. entered into an accord with the DOLE and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), on Thursday (August 20, 2009) to provide for its sponsorship of 100 unemployed registered nurses who would be deployed to 20 poor municipalities under Project NARS.

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said that the latest support follows the earlier commitment to the Project NARS forged by the PHAP Cares Foundation, Inc. which assured the deployment of a similar number of nurses in an accord inked on May 21, 2009.

Amidst the development, the PhilHealth has positively expressed support towards the deployment of another 220 unemployed registered nurses to more poor municipalities under the NARS program.

Significantly, the growing support to the program both from the private pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, as well as the government sector, is expected to increase the number of poor municipalities targeted under Project NARS from the original 1,000 nationwide.

A number of local government units (LGUs) have also provided additional support such as transportation allowance ranging from P500 to P2,000 per month, free board and accommodation, and free food when on duty.

The GlaxoSmithKline Foundation (GSKF) is a non-stock, non-profit organization whose mission extends the company's medical and research commitment to community service and corporate social responsibility.

Roque said that GSKF president Roberto C. Taboada, together with PHAP president Oscar J. Aragon, signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which affirmed the foundation's support and commitment to the Project NARS. Roque and PRC Chairman Nicolas P. Lapeña, Jr., also signed the MOA.

Subsequently, the document was presented to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Malacañang Palace.

The President had earlier launched Project NARS during the successful Multi-Sectoral Summit on "Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis" in Malacañang Palace on February 9 this year.

The latest MOA underscored the importance of the Project NARS in mobilizing unemployed registered nurses to the poorest municipalities in the country in response to the global crisis. The Project aims to mobilize nurses as "warriors for wellness" in poor municipalities to initiate primary health, school nutrition, maternal health programs, and first line diagnosis; inform about community water sanitation practices and do health surveillance; immunize children and mothers; and act as roving nurses for rural schoolds.

Under the project, the nurses would undergo training and development for competency enhancement in accordance with the training program designed by the PRC and the Board of Nursing in collaboration with the DOH. The nurse trainees receive a monthly P8,000 stipend during their training period, and under the signed MOA, the GSKF will shoulder the monthly allowance for the 100 additional nurse-trainees.

Thus far, the first batch of 5,000 nurse-trainees with a six-month tour of duty under Project NARS had been successfully deployed to the 1,000 poorest municipalities for a six month tour of duty beginning last April.

Meanwhile, the on-line application for the second batch beginning October 2009 has commenced. Project NARS website and pertinent information are accessible in the Internet at www.dole. gov.ph, or www.nars.dole.gov.ph.

Source: Information and Publication Service