Despite legal constraints, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa stated on Friday that there are numerous methods available to address the lack of nurses in public hospitals.
In a statement, Herbosa said that the commissioners of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board of Nursing are ready to assist the Department of Health (DOH) in finding answers.
"There are still many options despite legal limitations, which I understand," he said.
"However, it's good to know they are with me to find solutions to the 4,500 unfilled nurse items in DOH hospitals," he continued.
He also mentioned that the Board of Nursing has made recommendations on how to address the issue of the outbound migration of Filipino nurses.
Herbosa intends to hire board eligibles who scored 70 to 74 percent on the nursing licensure examination. To pass the country's license exam, a test taker must have a 75% rating with no grade below 60% in any topic.
Dr. Rontgene Solante, president of the Philippine College of Physicians, previously expressed support for the initiative, stating that nursing graduates who have yet to pass the board examination already possess the abilities of a nurse and are competent enough to start a nursing job after graduation.
Solante went on to say that such a measure will inspire nursing graduates working in other areas, such as call centers and tourism, to practice their craft.
Meanwhile, the PRC said there is no provision in the Philippine Nursing Act or Republic Act 9173 that allows them or any government agencies to issue temporary licenses to nursing graduates who failed the licensure examination.
They would be under the direct supervision of registered nurses if they were allowed to work in hospitals.
All their tasks would be monitored by their supervisors as part of a quality assurance mechanism to ensure patient safety and welfare.
In May 2023, the PRC reported that about 14,000 examinees took the licensure test for nurses, and about 10,764, or 74.94 percent, passed.
