Future RN babies

Wishing all the luck to my 23 nursing babies and soon to be Registered Nurses!

The pressure is high as the exam date is nearing. As long as you take control of the anxiety, you will be fine. Take time to relax a day or 2 before the exam. I strictly do not recommend studying the night before the exam. You should be ready by now after all the months of preparation. Put in your mind that you will pass. Lastly, write down your full name with the initials RN after it.

Hoping to see you on the list of Registered Nurses. yey!

PNLE June 2008

Here's the list of examinees who passed the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam on June 2008:
June Nursing Licensure Exam Results 2008

27,765 passed out of 64,459 examinees = 43%

Sure-fire Tips for NLE

Are you dreaded by the upcoming Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam? How many percent of mastery of nursing topics have you covered so far?

Some of the questions I often ask to my future colleagues. I think, if you have mastered the material and be able to explain on your own, then you are set to take the exam. Explaining a certain disease or topic to someone is the best way to gauge you understanding of the topic. Remember, if you combine the three ways of studying: reading, writing, and speaking, the more information will be retained. Certain study practices are relative to the person. So if you are a kind of person who studies with the aid of pictures, stick to visuals.

I am posting some tips that I learned while studying for the same exam. I wish I had known it sooner or applied it during practice exams. I did not land in the top ten but was proud to earn a grade high enough to be accepted by any tertiary hospitals. I would like to share it to thousands of future RNs.

To successfully pass the NLE, the following are the breakdown of individual allotment:

~60% Study effort
~25% Determination to pass
~10% Motivation
~5% Support (emotional, spiritual, social, psychological)
~100% Passing rate

Miss Lilac's Tips

o Read each question and answer c a r e f u l l y!

o Eliminate atleast 2 wrong choices, go back and read the situation, then select the correct answer

o When given choices with dates, years or numbers, choose the 2 in between among the selection: For example: a) 1997 b) 1990 c) 1996 d) 1999. Probable answer is between the two red choices. Only use this if you have completely no idea of the answer.

o Nursing interventions always starts with an assessment.

o Be familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy, Erik Erikson, ABC’s, and Protocol in fire emergency, etc. As much as possible, master all the information in a table format in any nursing books.

o Communication Skills:
1) Check the statement if its TRUE
2) Check if the true statement is therapeutic. Eliminate all non-therapeutic statements.
3) If it is true and therapeutic, this is likely the answer

o Complete with general ideas or “umbrella” is usually the correct answer but not necessarily the longest answer. Most of the time, the longest choice is the correct answer.

o On the last week or 2 weeks before exam, practice answering on practice exams. Do not If you get 60% and above in all of the tests, there is a high possibility that you will pass!

o Be sure to have some knowledge listed below. The exam revolves on the eleven (11) core competency areas for nursing practice:

1. Safe and Quality Nursing Care
2. Management of Resources and Environment
3. Health Education
4. Legal Responsibility
5. Ethico-Moral Responsibility
6. Personal and Professional Development
7. Quality Improvement
8. Research
9. Record Management
10. Communication
11. Collaboration and Teamwork

o Take a break in between studying time. Do not force yourself to memorize the material if the brain cannot take it anymore. Have a break, talk to someone, watch TV, eat, or take a long walk. The brain is like a sponge it will absorb and process all the information when it is ready.

o Do not review on the last day before the exam. Take this time to relax and unwind.

o Get enough sleep the night before the major day. Prepare all the requirements before going to sleep.

o Last but not the least, write down your full name followed by (comma) RN in any sheet of paper like you really, really, mean it then smile.

Good luck!

Basic Life Support Courses

I have been searching for quite some time on different training centers that offer BLS/ACLS or any of the life support trainings or courses in the Philippines.

There are two centers that I know of offer several life support trainings in Manila: Philippine National Red Cross and Philippine Heart Center.

The Philippine National Red Cross has several chapters that caters all over Philippines. After the said training, you can be a volunteer under them. The training is usually a week long that starts from Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm except on Saturday (half day).

The Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City offers Basic Life Support trainings through Critical Care Nuses Association of the Philippines, Inc. (CCNAPI). For more details, visit http://ccnapi.multiply.com/.

Take note that those trainings offered in the Philippines are not credited when you go abroad. Most of the hospitals outside the coutnry require trainings that are accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA). So if you are heading to the US, it is a waste of money and time doing the training in PI when all hospitals in the US will offer the said trainings for free. The same goes for the Middle East countries, you will undergo training again with or without charge. But if you plan to work in the Philippines and stay for a while, the said trainings are deemed necessary as various hospitals have listed them as one of the requirements.

There is one center, however, as I have been browsing online that claimed their trainings are accredited by AHA. It is the Emergent Medical Training Center for Asia, an authorized provider of the American Heart Association courses in BLS, ACLS and PALS in the Philippines.

I have never heard any feedback about this center. Take a look at their courses fees, very dear! Basing on the fees, people will expect that the trainings are at par with the US and the certificates that will be received can be used elsewhere. I will also expect that after all the trainings, I am highly skilled in performing life suport to people. For those of you who have undergone in this center, please share your experience.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The eighth edition is here! I know it's pretty late but I really want this book. It was published early of 2007. I was able to read it in the library last summer 2008. I want it so bad to replace the old one and it would be an addition to my nursing books collection. I love investing in hardbound books just to feel the glossy paper and the sight of colorful pictures that would motivate me to learn more. It costs $72.52 plus free shipping at Amazon.com.

The new feature of the book showcases sample of nursing notes at the end of every nursing skill procedure. It serves as a guide on which important information to write down. I need to save some $ for this one. Gotta love nursing books!

Nursing Schools Performance

I have included all the performances of nursing schools' passing rates of the local nursing licensure exams covered last December 2006, June 2007, December 2007 and June 2008.

The schools were categorized based on their average ratings throughout the said period. The rating categories are the following: 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75% and 76-100%. There are about 231 nursing schools who have ratings of 0-25%, 203 nursing schools falls under 26-5o%, 86 nursing school under 51-75% and 126 nursing schools under 76-100%.

More than half of the nursing schools are performing poorly at a rating of 50% and below. There are even schools like maritime, computer, law, arts & trades and many others which offers BSN program when their forte is not even close to nursing. Please take note also the number of students who took the exam and the consistency of the schools’ rating per exam.

It was on the year 2007 that many nursing schools sprouted like mushrooms. No succeeding ratings can be seen after that. I hope they will stop operating or producing more failing students. I have been hearing stories from old people that the nursing licensure exam was the easiest exam before. It was not even the talk of the town. But, why does it have a low passing rate now? If I were to answer, it is because of these schools are not providing the quality education and facilities that the nursing students need. And these students solely depend on their school not doing their part on studying because they think that the education they have gained is enough. Close down all the poor performing schools and the passing rate would reach 75% or higher.

It was years back during the 1980s or 1990s that the country are producing top caliber nurses with great skills on a par with other nurses internationally. Moreover, their nursing foundation and clinical experience were intensive. The reputation of nurses and nursing schools in the country are now degrading and will continue if proper steps are not taken.

Please take note that the PDF file attached is not officially released by any nursing body in the Philippines. I have compiled the ratings based on the published results of examinations online. I hope this will serve as a reference for those who are planning to enroll to a nursing school in the PI. It will also be my reference for my own purposes.

Click here: Performance of Nursing Schools (pdf file)

Center for Excellence in Nursing Education

CENE

Head Office: 2nd Floor, Consuelo Building
929 N. Reyes St. (formerly Morayta) Sampaloc, Manila
(02) 734564, 7345366

San Pablo City Office: 137 Colago Ave. San Pablo City
(049) 5030267
Website: www.cene.ph
E-mail: cenereview@yahoo.com

I am not affiliated with CENE nor posting this to make money. I want every nursing students to experience the nursing education they should be getting which their school did not provide. It has been licensed by CHED as Review Center, Series of 2008. Everything CENE can offer are written in the photos/pamphlets. Just click it for a larger view.

Say "NO!" to LPN programs in Philippines

PNA vs institutionalizing practical nursing program

By Katherine Evangelista INQUIRER.net First Posted 20:14:00 06/18/2008 MANILA, Philippines —

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) on Wednesday declared its opposition to the proposal of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to “ladderize” the nursing curriculum to institutionalize the practical nursing course Wednesday.

Read the full story: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/new…ursing-program

If I could scream on my top of the lungs, saying no to LPN programs, I would, over and over until all Filipinos will realize. Here's why:

LPN Programs in the Philippines does not work like in the US. If you have completed your LPN education here then you are probably one of the victims of scam and false advertisement of LPN programs in PI. The people behind these LPN schools or programs will guarantee that you can work in the US or abroad after completion of the said program. They will entice you to enroll to their 6 to 12 months program or more at the same time gaining enough pesos in their pockets while you are hoping for your American dream. Fact is, there is no legal visa as a LPN in the US unless you are a green card holder or a US citizen. It’s a good thing that the PNA is opposing the CHEd to ladderize the said program. Moreover, there are not enough jobs for LPNs. It is not even recognize by the PRC; there is no local license to give out. Thus, ending up as nursing aide or nursing assistant.

Do not solely rely in our government, they are entirely aware of what is happening in the nursing profession although acting deaf and blind. They just let things happen for their own sake and not for the good of their countrymen. Let us not be fooled. If you know someone currently enrolled in these programs, let them read the news. Please spread the word.

Drugs Reference Online

When I was a student, I had a hard time searching for good resources of drugs online. These will be useful for your studies and will serve as reference also. I have listed them down for easier access and will update it as soon as I found better ones. The following links are:

1) Davis' Drug Guide
2) Mosby’s Drug Consult
3) Rx List
4) MIMS Philippines
5) Drug Reference Center

AllStudent Nurses Medical Trivia

I am inviting everyone especially student nurses and health care professionals to join AllStudentNurses Medical Trivia, an online trivia that tests your science, medical and nursing foundation. It has 10 new sets of questions everyday with multiple choices. Ranking are done at the end of the day and scores are accumulated for a month. You need to register for a few minutes in order to join the trivia. It’s fun! You can also chat with other players too. Let’s see if you still have those knowledge stored.

Click this link: AllStudentNurses Medical Trivia