Nursing Controversy Letter

Thursday, September 14, 2006

FOLLOWING my Manila Moods column two weeks ago about the leakage of the nursing board exam answers in the Philippines, I got a flood of angry emails from readers attacking me for saying that all the June 2006 exam takers should be asked to retake sections III and V of the exam, since it was answers to those questions which were leaked through several review centers.
A few days after that column appeared I received the following letter from Erlinda Castro-Palaganas, past governor of the Philippine Nursing Association for Region 1, in which she basically agreed with all of the points I had raised.
The letter is so good that I have decided to include it here in it's entirety:

Dear Rasheed,

Thank you for your holistic and analytical lens at looking at issues related to the nursing leakage. It is heartening and very comforting to note that there are still media advocates who believe in our cause. Comrades from all over the country call us, The Baguio Braves because we dared come out against the giants when we said, “there is a leakage” in the last June 11-12 nursing licensure examinations.

In one of our public statements, we, The Baguio Braves Alliance, whose members include those who exposed the leakage in the June 2006 local nursing board examination and nursing leaders, denounces in the strongest possible terms the reckless manner with which the Professional Regulation Commission handled the fraud that attended the said professional test. Particularly, we take notice of the following:

1. PRC exerted every possible effort to cover up the fraud. Even if it had overwhelming evidence thereof in its hand, it still audaciously claimed in a public statement that there was no leakage.
2. When it could not cover up the leakage, it insisted on conducting the investigation amidst resounding calls for an independent investigating body. What were the fruits of the PRC investigation? Nothing. It only acknowledged that there was leakage but it could not determine the culprits. Was this an admission of PRC incompetence? Or was its decision to turn over the investigation to the NBI occasioned by the fact that it stumbled upon evidences that could implicate “friends and associates” and did not want to be the one to nail them? Pontius Pilate still lives!

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CGFNS Meets with Philippine Delegation

PHILADELPHIA, PA — MARCH 5, 2007 — The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) Board of Trustees President Dr. Lucille Joel, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Barbara Nichols, and counsel to CGFNS John Ratigan met in extended discussion with the Philippine Task Force organized by Congressman Monico Puentevella on March 5 at CGFNS headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. They heard the Task Force present its concerns about CGFNS's decision to deny VisaScreen^® certification to the June 2006 passers of the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam. In addition to Congressman Puentevella, the Task Force was composed of Dr. Leonor T. Rosero, Chair of the Philippine Professional Regulation Commission, Dr. Remigia Nathanielz, representing the Commission on Higher Education and Philippine Nurses Association, and the leader of a group of June 2006 nursing licensees, Renato Aquino. After listening to and reviewing the concerns of the delegation, Joel and Nichols explained that CGFNS's decision was based on the requirements of U.S. law and was not subject to re-negotiation or further review.

Dr. Joel and Dr. Nichols explained the following to the Philippine delegation that:

• This decision was based on U.S. law, and what U.S. law required of CGFNS in the circumstances of the June 2006 examination. The key question was not what Philippine authorities did, but what U. S. authorities would have done in similar circumstances.
• CGFNS determined that in the case of the June 2006 Philippine license examination, the compromise situation was handled in a way that was not comparable to the way it had been handled in the U.S.
• CGFNS has been gathering information on this matter almost since it occurred. Dr. Nichols led a fact-finding team to Manila in September 2006 for exactly that purpose. CGFNS has been well and thoroughly informed of developments throughout this process.
• As Dr. Nichols advised Dr. Rosero, the decision on this issue made and announced by the CGFNS Board of Trustees on February 14 was unanimous. That decision is final, and will not be reconsidered. The Philippine delegation accepted that fact.
• We hope that is the message the delegation will take back to the Philippines -- that the time for challenges and delegations is past.
• The sooner the responsible authorities in the Philippines move forward to implement the steps for a re-take of Tests 3 and 5, without the need for Philippine nurses to surrender their current licenses in order to do so, the better it will be for all concerned.

Read FULL STORY @ cgfns.org

It’s about PRC, not CGFNS

It’s about PRC, not CGFNS

First posted 02:12:11 (Mla time) 2007-03-06
Inquirer

This in response to the letter titled “CGFNS should consider PRC’s competence.” (Inquirer, 2/27/07)

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) does not condone any form of cheating, most especially one that is orchestrated by examiners for a very obvious reason: money.

But the controversy spawned by the leakage of test questions in the June 2006 nursing licensure exam is not about CGFNS. It is about the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). It’s time for the PRC to clean up its dirt and move on. The CGFNS only wants to keep its integrity.

MOISES M ALIPALA III, 612 W. Aldine 2N, Chicago Illinois 60657

Copyright 2007 INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

(UPDATE) CGFNS turns down 4-member RP appeal team

irst posted 17:43:47 (Mla time) 2007-03-06
Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) on Monday (Philadelphia time, Tuesday in Manila) rejected with finality the appeal of a four-member Philippine mission to reconsider its decision to withhold VisaScreen certification to the passers of the June 2006 nursing board exam.

On its website, the CGFNS said its board of trustees president Dr. Lucille Joel and chief executive officer Dr. Barbara Nichols, explained to the task force that CGFNS' decision “was based on the requirements of US law and was not subject to re-negotiation or further review.”

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Final try to change mind of CGFNS

Monday, March 5, 2007

By Maricel V. Cruz, Reporter A team headed by Rep. Monico Puentevella left for the United States on Sunday on a mission to convince the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools to reconsider its decision on the retake of portions of the leak-tainted June 2006 nursing licensure examinations. The team will present to CGFNS officials documentation and computations to justify its stand that the 17,000 examinees who passed do not need to retake the questionable portions of the tests, Puentevella said in an interview. The Bacolod City congressman, who heads the House Committee on Youth and Sports, acknowledged his group is practically on a “mission impossible.” But we’ll do our best for the sake of the 17,000 who passed the nursing board exams,” he said. The results of their mission would go into crafting a law that would prevent a repeat of the leakage in board exam, Puentevella said. “We will try and we will come up with a proposed legislation that will address this problem on leakage [in professional examinations] such as nursing board exams,” he said. Puentevella was accompanied by members of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the Board of Nursing, the Philippine Nurses’ Association and the Association of Deans and Colleges of Nursing. They were expected to meet with CGFNS officials Sunday night (Monday morning in Manila). The CGFNS is requiring passers of the 2006 nursing board exams to retake portions of Tests 3 and 5 before they are granted VisaScreen certificates. Medical workers seeking jobs in the US must secure VisaScreen certificates before they can be granted working visas. If the CGFNS is not swayed by the task force’s evidence, those who passed the 2006 nursing board could either apply for jobs in countries outside the US or choose to retake the leaked portions.

RP team leaves Sunday to appeal US decision on nurses’ visas

First posted 18:56:34 (Mla time) 2007-03-03
Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- Four officials of vested interest groups will leave for the US Sunday to appeal the decision of the United States’ Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools that it will not accept Filipino nurses who passed the leak-tainted June 2006 board exams unless they retook portions of the test.

Professional Regulation Commission chairperson Leonor Rosero told the Inquirer Saturday they would explain in detail to the CGFNS what happened last year and the steps they took to address the problem. She said they would also ask the CGFNS how it came up with its decision.

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Ifugao parents, heath practitioners favor 2006 nursing board exam retake

PIA Press Release
2007/03/02

LAGAWE, Ifugao (2 March) -- At least two health practitioners here support the move of the national government for the partial retake of June 2006 nursing board examination.

Provincial Health Officer Dra. Mary Josephine Dulawan said she understands the plight of the examinees and their parents, however, the retake appears to be the best remedy to redeem the prestige of the profession.

“I am not happy with the retake of the board examinations, however, in the end if we look at the standards of the profession, we have to have the retake,” Dulawan said.

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Nursing exam retake

First posted 11:49:21 (Mla time) 2007-03-02
INQUIRER.net

From print news and TV news reports, it seems this controversy is being boiled up by Secretary Brion.

I can feel he has an axe to grind against the PRC Head. Since the start of controversy, Mr. Brion has been for a retake “without taking into consideration" the nurses who took the exam honestly. His wish was not granted after a thorough investigation conducted by NBI and the decision of the Court of Appeals.

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PRC drafts order for nursing board retake

First posted 20:56:18 (Mla time) 2007-02-27
Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- Nurses who passed the scandal-marred June 2006 licensure examination will have to retake portions of the test if they want to work in the United States -- and this time it is not only the US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools that is talking.

The Professional Regulation Commission is already drafting a resolution which will “harmonize” local retake guidelines with that of the CGFNS, a nursing group leader involved in the process told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Tuesday.

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Arroyo: Wait for solons’ appeal to CGFNS before board retake

First posted 14:57:29 (Mla time) 2007-02-27
Lira Dalangin-Fernandez ldalangin@inq7.net
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday said the retake of portions of the June 2006 nursing licensure examinations will have to await the results of a congressional task force leaving for the US to seek reconsideration from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

Arroyo said it was the task force, headed by Bacolod Representative Monico Puentevella, which asked her to give them until March 4 to try to convince the CGFNS to allow nurses who passed the controversial board exam to secure visas to practice in the US.

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CGFNS should consider PRC’s competence

First posted 00:50:10 (Mla time) 2007-02-27
Inquirer

Perhaps this is what happened to the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) when it sent a fact-finding mission to Manila last September to look into the leakage of test questions in the June 2006 nursing licensure exam, when the scandal was at its height. It saw the trees.

Perhaps, the CGFNS may now be able to see the forest, too. All these years the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has been giving licenses to thousands of nurses (and other professionals). And these nurses are highly appreciated for their competence, the reason they are very much in demand, too, all over the world, including the United States where 83 percent of foreigner-nurses are from the Philippines. In this, the PRC has shown itself most competent.

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Palace to nursing board passers: Retake the exams

First posted 21:49:10 (Mla time) 2007-02-26
Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Nursing graduates who passed the leakage-tainted June 2006 board exams should retake the test, if they are bent on working in the United States, a Malacañang official has advised.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol said that since the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is a private organization, it could not be prodded to reconsider its decision not to grant VisaScreen applications for the 2006 board passers.

"Retake the exam if you want to get to the States," Apostol told reporters in Malacañang on Monday.

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Partial retake of June ’06 nursing board ready -- Brion

First posted 18:51:04 (Mla time) 2007-02-26
Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- It's all systems go for the partial retake of the controversial June 2006 nursing licensure examination, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said Monday.

“Everything is in place. We are just talking to the deans of some schools on what subsidy we could give” to those who will be taking the leak-tainted tests 3 and 5 of the controversial board exam, Brion said in a phone interview.

The partial retake was a requirement imposed by the American Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) for nurses who took the controversial licensure exam who wish to migrate to the US.

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PRC bent on appealing CGFNS decision on nurses’ work visas

First posted 19:34:47 (Mla time) 2007-02-24
Jerome Aning
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- The Professional Regulatory Commission will still appeal for a reconsideration of the decision of the US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools to deny working visas to Filipino nurses who took the tainted June 2006 licensure exams unless they retake portions of the test.

PRC chairperson Leonor Tripon-Rosero will head a team of government officials and private-sector representatives that will leave for the United States on Monday to "explain" the situation to the CGFNS, even though the commission has stated that its decision is final.

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Nursing Controvery

Update: inq7 Nursing Controversy

CGFNS to ’06 nurses: Forget appeal, take test

First posted 04:09:40 (Mla time) 2007-02-24
Nikko Dizon
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS )is standing pat on its decision not to issue VisaScreen certificates to those who passed the tainted June 2006 nursing licensure examination—unless they retake the questionable portions.

The latest CGFNS statement, posted yesterday on its website and attributed to its chief executive officer Barbara L. Nichols, gave emphasis to the requirements of US immigration law.

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Nurses are being punished while cheats stay free

First posted 02:17:45 (Mla time) 2007-02-23
Inquirer

MAY i react to the news report about the need for the June 2006 nursing board passers to retake and pass Test 3 and 5 of the Nursing Licensure Examination before they can be granted the VisaScreen certificate. (Inquirer, 2/16/07)

Nurses, especially those who passed the June 2006 board exam, are again at the losing end, while the guilty parties are still free.

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A culture of dishonesty

First posted 00:52:54 (Mla time) 2007-02-23
Inquirer

We in the United States, in particular myself in New York City, are appalled by the 2006 nursing exam cheating scandal. We have all been hurt and shamed as Filipinos.

But after all that have transpired, few people have gotten the message that the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) wants to teach them a lesson. No amount of appeal will change its decision to disallow this batch of nurses from working in the United States because to do so would compromise patient care in the United States.

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Nursing topnotchers willing to retake tainted tests

By Jhunnex Napallacan
Visayas Bureau
Last updated 08:53pm (Mla time) 02/22/2007

CEBU CITY, Philippines -- The two Cebu-based Top 10 passers of the June 2006 Nursing Licensure Examination are now willing to retake the tainted sections of the examinations just to fulfill their dreams of working in the United States.

Maelaurece Plaza, the 5th placer of the 2006 nursing board exam, and Chulou Penales, the 10th placer, both admitted that their ultimate goal would be to find work in the U.S.

"It is everybody's dream," Plaza said.

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PRC bent on appealing CGFNS decision on nurses’ work visas

PRC bent on appealing CGFNS decision on nurses’ work visas

By Jerome Aning
Inquirer

Posted date: February 24, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The Professional Regulatory Commission will still appeal for a reconsideration of the decision of the US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools to deny working visas to Filipino nurses who took the tainted June 2006 licensure exams unless they retake portions of the test.

PRC chairperson Leonor Tripon-Rosero will head a team of government officials and private-sector representatives that will leave for the United States on Monday to "explain" the situation to the CGFNS, even though the commission has stated that its decision is final.

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Retake of nursing licensure exam ‘final,’ says DOLE

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 03:58pm (Mla time) 02/24/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The voluntary retake of tests 3 and 5 of the June 2006 nursing licensure exam for the 17,000 who passed it is “final,” Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said Saturday.

In a statement, the labor chief said Barbara Nichols, head of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), had spoken with Leonor Rosero, chairman of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

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Gov’t tailoring nursing sector to US demands, health activist says

Is the government tailor-fitting the country’s nursing sector to the demands of the U.S. market?

The secretary-general of the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), Dr. Gene Nisperos, has posed this question following statements by government officials that the Arroyo administration is amenable to having the June 2006 nursing board examination passers be subjected to a possible retake, as requested by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), a non-profit organization that screens foreign nurse applicants for visa certificates in the United States

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Solon asks PRC chair Rosero to quit

An administration ally at the House of Representatives demanded Thursday the resignation of Leonor Rosero, chair of the Professional Regulations Commission.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, also a physician, said Rosero failed to protect the interest of the nursing graduates who passed the leakage-tainted June 2006 licensure exam when she urged them to challenge the decision of the US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools to disqualify them for VisaScreen Certificate.

The VisaScreen Certificate is a requirement for licensed Filipino nurses to migrate to the United States and work as a nurse.

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Labor chief backs 'voluntary' nursing exam retake

Saying it will bring closure to last year's nursing exam scandal, labor secretary Labor secretary Arturo Brion pushed for a voluntary retake of the board exams as required by a US agency.

Brion said Saturday he will recommend to Malacañang the voluntary partial retake of the exam.

"I'll recommend that those who want to take some parts of the exam take it, just to go to the US. This will also bring closure to the June 2006 nursing exam scandal. By allowing those who want to take the exam to take the exam, we will show the world we are finally closing the book on the scandal," he said in Filipino in a radio interview.

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PRC to press nurses' case despite CGFNS stand

Unfazed by the hardline stance of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, Philippine officials are still pushing through with a plan to appeal the case of nursing graduates who passed the leakage-marred June 2006 board exam.

Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) head Leonor Rosero said Saturday a team of government officials and private sector representatives will "explain" the situation to the CGFNS.

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CGFNS CEO ADVICE TO ROSERO: DECISION IS FINAL

PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA, 8 PM EST February 23, 2007; 9 AM Manila Time, February 24, 2007 — Philippine Regulation Commission Chair Dr. Leonor Rosero and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) CEO Barbara Nichols spoke with each other by telephone Saturday morning, February 24 Manila time. Dr. Nichols requested the telephone conversation so that she might provide Dr. Rosero with additional information regarding CGFNS's recent decision to deny VisaScreen^® certification to nurses licensed following the June 2006 licensure examination. A VisaScreen Certificate is required before any healthcare worker educated outside the U.S. can be issued an occupational visa to work in the United States.

During the conversation, Dr. Nichols assured Dr. Rosero that CGFNS was fully aware of and concerned about the hardship that its decision might cause to the June 2006 passers. Dr. Nichols noted, however, that the decision is final, and no useful purpose would be served by Dr. Rosero coming to the United States to make an "appeal" of that decision. The CGFNS CEO made several points during the conversation, among them:

• CGFNS is not a Court or a Government agency. It is a private, nonprofit corporation. The Board of Trustees, the highest authority of that corporation, has made this decision. There is no process or provision for an appeal or reconsideration of a Board decision. There is no higher authority than the Board of Trustees.
• The decision of the CGFNS Board of Trustees is required by U.S. immigration law in circumstances such as this. In this case, because passers of the June 2006 Philippine nursing licensure exam were found to have a license that was not comparable to a U.S. nursing license, the Board was required to determine that a VisaScreen Certificate may not be issued to such individuals.
• The decision of the Board of Trustees on this issue was unanimous. There was not a single No vote.
• As evidence of its compassion and concern about the consequences of its decision, CGFNS provided an opportunity for the June passers to "cure" their present ineligibility by re-taking the equivalent of Tests 3 and 5. CGFNS will therefore gladly accept the passing test scores of any nurse who had the courage to re-take the licensure exam--in whole or in part--in December 2006. And it has urged the Philippine Government to allow the June 2006 passers to re-take Tests 3 and 5 during 2007.
• This decision of the CGFNS Board is final; the matter is settled.

CGFNS News

DoLE plans to administer nursing board retake

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 08:40pm (Mla time) 02/20/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) plans to administer the retake of the tainted portions of the June 2006 nursing licensure exams, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said Tuesday.

This came following a decision of the United States' Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) to deny VisaScreen Certificates to the 17,000 passers of the controversial board examinations.

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Appealing to CGFNS ‘useless,’ says Gordon

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:02pm (Mla time) 02/20/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The government's plan to appeal the decision of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) requiring nurses who passed the June 2006 board examination to retake two leak-tainted tests if they want to acquire US visas is useless, Senator Richard Gordon said Tuesday.

Gordon, whose Senate resolution was the basis of the inquiry into the leakage in the June 2006 board, said the CGFNS is not going to consider the personal appeal of Professional Regulation Commission chair Leonor Tripon-Rosero.

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Most Filipinos trust competence of June 2006 nursing passers

SAYS SURVEY

By Kate V. Pedroso
Inquirer
Last updated 09:54pm (Mla time) 02/20/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- While most Filipinos would trust passers of the controversial June 2006 nursing board exam to take care of them in sickness, they also agreed that opportunities for the nurses to work abroad would decrease as an aftermath of the cheating that marred the exams, recent surveys from the Social Weather Stations found.

The US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) recently decided not to issue VisaScreen certificates to passers of the nursing licensure examinations in June 2006, unless they would retake and pass two parts of the tests which were allegedly leaked.

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Pinoy Insights

The Best and Top Performing Nursing Schools in the Philippines

An Insights about the Philippines

Nursing has become an in demand profession abroad for Filipinos. This is because rich foreign countries like U.S., Canada, Japan, Norway and Austria are in need of nurses caused by steep population growth resulting in a growing need for health care services; a diminishing pipeline of new students in nursing; an aging nursing workforce; and the lack of interest among youths to take up nursing because of the difficult and risky working conditions. In the United States alone, the demand for nurses is estimated at 600,000 between now and 2020.

Filipino nurses prefer to work abroad because of its high pay. Low salary, and political instability are also some frequent reasons cited by Filipino nurses trying their luck abroad.

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