Herbosa: Nursing board exam takers who scored 70-74% can be given temporary license

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Monday said only nursing graduates who scored slightly lower than the 75% passing score in the board exam will be allowed to work in government hospitals even though they did not pass the exam.

Herbosa made the clarification in light of his plan to take in unlicensed nursing graduates to work for the government, given that they pass the board exam after a certain period of time.

“We will tap the nurses who are board eligible. So nakapasa. Hindi lahat ah. Siguro 'yung lumagpak na — 70 to 74 [percent] ang marka,” he said in ambush interview.

(We will not take in all of those who flunked, but only those who marked 70-74%.)

“Propesor ako. ‘Yung 70 to 74, puwede kong ipasa ‘yun kung ako ang propesor. Kung nakita ko na maganda naman ang recitation and everything, ipapasa kita sa klase ko,” he added.

(I’m a professor. I could pass those who have grades of 70 to 74 in my class if I see that their recitation is good.)

Herbosa said Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma has already agreed to the proposal and vowed to coordinate with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to provide temporary licenses to the eligible nursing graduates.

The newly-appointed Health chief said once they pass the board exam, the licensed nurses have to sign a four-year return service agreement and provide service to government hospitals before they are allowed to go abroad.

If allowed to work in the government, he said nursing graduates could earn a starting salary of around P35,000 to P40,000, which will go higher with experience.

Last week, Herbosa said that the private sector offered to shoulder the expenses for the board review of eligible nursing graduates.

Currently, there are 4,500 vacant plantilla items for nurses in over 70 DOH hospitals, according to Herbosa.

“Huwag umasa lahat ng nurse ha. Merong specification. Tsaka ‘yung 4,500 vacancies ko, hindi lahat Metro Manila ‘yun. All over the country ‘yun. So pag napuno na siya, tigil na muna ‘yung temporary license,” Herbosa said.

(Not all aspiring nurses should have expectations. There are specifications. Also, the 4,500 vacancies are for all over the country, not only for Metro Manila. If those vacancies are filled, we will stop issuing temporary licenses.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News