DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – Some 492 new registered nurses are urged to stay, uphold and serve their duty in public and private hospitals in the Philippines.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)-Region 1, in coordination with the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)-Pangasinan Chapter and members of the Board of Nursing, spearheaded the oath-taking ceremony for these new nurses held on Tuesday at the CSI Stadia here.

Merle Salvani, a member of the Board of Nurses, led the oath-taking and called on these new nurses to be patriotic and serve the country first.

She said, “Our new nurses, please pause and hear the cry of our country –‘We need you.’ Serve our country first before searching for greener pastures.”

In her message, she stressed the exceptional service provided by Filipino nurses who are in high demand worldwide.

However, despite being a leading producer of nurses, Salvani said the Philippines is currently experiencing a shortage in this field which needs to be addressed urgently.

Hence, she encouraged these newly licensed nurses to start their careers in the country to help alleviate the shortage and provide valuable services to their fellow Filipinos.

Meanwhile, PRC-Region 1 Director Arl Ruth Sabelo said in an interview that 415 examinees from the province of Pangasinan passed the November 2023 Professional Nursing Licensure Examination (PNLE).

Likewise, Sabelo stated the oath-taking ceremony of the new nurses is not only a testament to their competence and excellence, but also shows the results of their years of patience, hard work, and strong determination in pursuing the nursing profession despite several challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The newly inducted nurses were successful passers in Pangasinan, Baguio, Manila, and Bacolod, among others in the November 2023 PNLE.

A total of 32,2023 nursing graduates took the PNLE and 25,761 of them passed, resulting in a national passing rate of 80%.

“Ang gagaling ng batch na ito. The highest rate in the PNLE so far,” said Salvani. 

(This batch is great. The highest rate in the PNLE so far.)

Meanwhile, PNA-Pangasinan Chapter President Maria Cecilia Biascan stated that these newly licensed nurses can help meet the demand for nurses within the province if they choose to apply and work at local hospitals here. (JCR/AMB/JCDR/DMLT/PIA Pangasinan)