Caring and Nursing

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

INTRODUCTION

Caring and nursing has always been synonymous with each other. The practice of caring is central to nursing according to Jean Watson's Philosophy and Science of Caring. With the economic benefits of working as a Registered Nurse overseas, coupled with the Filipino culturally known as a caring and compassionate race, entering the nursing profession remains attractive. Registered Nurses are the 2nd largest group of professionals next to teachers and are the biggest provider of overseas nurses.

At present, having gainful employment as a Registered Nurse has become more and more difficult here and abroad. Records from the Philippine Nurses Association show that as early as 2006, demand for nurses in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom has declined. This has become the nations biggest group of unemployed workers. Despite the grim outlook for thousands of aspiring nurses and unemployed Registered Nurses at present, others still believe that the nursing profession is still their best choice. As long as people seek healthcare services, the nursing profession remains.

The road to becoming a Registered Nurse does not stop from being just a caring person and the idea that this may be the key to a better future. Nurses are highly skilled and dynamic professionals. To be an effective nurse, one must be equipped with an aptitude for science, critical thinking and multi-tasking skills as well as an ability to display communication and leadership abilities. According to one of the American Nurses Association Standards of Professional Performance, the nurse should attain knowledge and competency that reflects current nursing practice. All the 4 years of knowledge and skills acquired in the Bachelor of Nursing Program will be put to test to measure if indeed one is qualified and competent enough to be granted the Registered Nurse title. This is achieved by passing the Philippine Nurse Licensure Exam (PNLE).

The Philippine Nurse Licensure Exam (PNLE) is a 500-item multiple choice, 2-day exam given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)- Board of Nursing (BON) to assess basic level nurse competency. It is comprised of 5 parts that contain 100 questions each. These are the following:

1. Nursing Practice I: Basic Foundation of Nursing and Professional Nursing Practice.

2. Nursing Practice II: Community Health Nursing and Care of Mother and Child.

3. Nursing Practice III: Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations, Part A.

4. Nursing Practice IV: Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations, Part B.

5. Nursing Practice V: Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations, Part C.

These questions will be based on the knowledge, skills, and attitude of an entry-level nurse based on 5 major subject areas: Fundamentals of Nursing, Maternal and Child Health Nursing, Community Health and Communicable Disease Nursing, Nursing of Adolescents, Adults and Aged, Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing. For the nursing student to pass the exam and receive the Registered Nurse title, the examinee must obtain a general average of at least 75% with no rating below 60% in any subject.

According to the Nurse Board Exam Results posted in the Philippine Regulatory Commission website, the Dec. 2010 Nurse Licensure