Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 4704)
The Board of Examiners for Nurses shall be composed of a chairman and four members appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the commission on appointments, from a list of twelve nominees of registered nurses certified by the officially recognized national association of nurses in the Philippines.
Board members must be citizens and residents of the Philippines, registered nurses holding a master's degree in nursing (with some exceptions for current members), mentally and physically fit, not over 65 years of age, with at least ten years of successful practice, have no convictions involving moral turpitude, and should not have been faculty members or have pecuniary interest in nursing schools within one year prior to appointment.
Members serve for a term of three years or until their successors are appointed and qualified. They may be reappointed but only once for another three-year term.
Members receive a fee not exceeding ten pesos per candidate examined, with a maximum total yearly compensation of eighteen thousand pesos.
They must establish and operate a base hospital with at least one hundred authorized beds available for various types of patients, or a home hospital of at least fifty authorized beds with affiliations to other hospitals to meet the 100-bed requirement by January 1, 1971.
They must hold a master's degree in nursing, have at least three years of teaching and supervisory experience in nursing education, be a registered nurse, and a Filipino citizen. Exceptions are provided for those already in the position before the act's effectivity with a five-year compliance period.
Applicants must have completed at least one year of college work in recognized institutions, including courses in physical, biological, social, and behavioral sciences and humanities, such as chemistry, psychology, and zoology.
Practicing professional nursing includes responsible nursing care for various types of patients, observation and evaluation of symptoms, accurate reporting, supervision of nursing care, execution of nursing procedures, providing direction and education for care, and following legal orders of physicians, excluding nursing students under supervision and exchange professors.
Examinations are held not earlier than one month and not later than two months after the semestral term closure set by the Department of Education, conducted by the Board of Examiners for Nurses with approval from the Commissioner of Civil Service and the President of the Philippines.
Applicants must be Filipino citizens or foreigners from countries granting reciprocal privileges, at least 18 years old (not licensed until 21), in good health and moral character, have completed standard high school or equivalent, and graduated from recognized nursing schools with specified course requirements.
A candidate must obtain a general rating of at least 75% with no rating below 60% in any subject. Failure in the first exam allows a retake in subjects failed, needing at least 75% in those to pass. If failed again, re-examination on all subjects is required, and further failure mandates a refresher course before re-admission.
The Board must report the ratings to the Commissioner of Civil Service within 120 days after the examination and provide copies of subject ratings and questionnaires to nursing schools and the Bureau of Private Schools.
Applicants pay a fifty peso examination fee, and successful applicants pay a twenty peso registration fee.