By: Dr. Rex Casiple
FIVE thousand fifty-nine (5,059) out of 9,691 examinees nationwide (52.2%) passed the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board of Nursing in 12 testing centers in June 2019.
This is higher than the November 2018 NLE performance of 39.98% passing percentage and in the June 2018 performance of 43.82%.
West Visayas State University (WVSU) here Western Visayas region (100% passing rate) ranked No. 1 in the national level among schools with 45 or more examinees and with at least 85% passing percentage. University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City (98.57% passing rate) ranked No. 2 in the same level.
Among 3,373 first taker examinees from the 464 nursing schools nationwide, 2,909 passed (86.24%). Among the 6,318 re-takers, 2,150, or 34.03%, passed. Among the examinees, the number of repeaters (6,318) surpassed the number of first takers (3,373) or 7 out of 10 examinees.
Almira Louise OleteHinsoy of West Visayas State University Ranked No. 1 among the successful examinees who landed on the 10 highest places at the national level. Congratulations to WVSU president, Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr.!
The West Visayas State University is the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Center of Development (COD) in Nursing Education in Western Visayas. Thirteen (13) successful examinees from the region landed on top 10 at the national level. Twelve are graduates of West Visayas State University: one Rank No. 1, one Rank No. 2, one Rank No. 3, one Rank No. 4, three in Rank No. 5, one Rank No. 7, two in Rank No. 9 and two in Rank No. 10. One is a graduate of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City (No. 6).
In the regional level, 10 nursing schools in Western Visayas out of 21, or 48%, performed high or with a passing percentage higher than the national level. This is lower than the November 2018 high performing school percentage (63.16%) but higher than the June 2018 percentage of high performing schools (43%). The region produced 437 passers out of 591 takers, or 73.94% passing percentage. This is higher than the national passing percentage.
There were 261 repeaters who took the examination and 330 first takers. Repeaters passing percentage is 46.74%, while the first takers passing percentage is 95.45%. Six (6) out of 10 examinees from the Region were first takers. This greater number of first takers in the Region, who performed high in the examination, lifted the Region’s overall performance.
In this academic year (AY) 2019-2020, an increase in BS Nursing enrolment is noted in almost all colleges and universities in the Region. The drop in nursing enrolment and the number of graduates in the past resulted in a decrease in NLE takers by 90% in the last ten years – from 94,462 in November 2009 to only 9,691 in June 2019.
Consequently, the number of NLE passers or new nurses decreased by 87% from around 37,525 in November 2009 to 5,059 in June 2019. The nursing schools’ high passing average is an indication of an effective BS Nursing curriculum in the country and a significant improvement in the quality of nursing education.
The government exerted efforts to address the needs of nurses in the country. Increasing the salary of our nurses will attract them to work in our own hospital and to prevent their exodus seeking for a greener pasture abroad. There is a need to protect and develop the nursing profession in the country.
To expand the scope of nursing practice to encompass the nursing education service, research, and leadership and governance. Upgrading the country’s nursing profession sustains the Philippines’ leading role in the health-care labor market, and address its most pressing issues, such as unemployment and underemployment of nurses in the country and abroad.
