Question & AnswerQ&A (Act No. 2808)
The Board of Examiners for Nurses consists of three members appointed by the Secretary of the Interior: one physician who is a graduate of a recognized medical school and authorized to practice in the Philippines, and two reputable nurses with at least five years of experience in nursing.
The Board is empowered to issue and revoke certificates of registration for nurses, study conditions affecting nursing practice in the Philippines, and maintain efficient ethical and technical standards in the nursing profession.
Each member holds office for three years from the date of appointment, with the first appointees' terms adjusted so that one term expires each year. Vacancies are filled for the unexpired term only.
The Secretary of the Interior may remove any Board member for neglect of duty, incompetency, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct.
The physician-member serves as the president and chief executive of the Board.
Applicants must be at least twenty-one years old, of good moral character, and must have received a diploma or certificate from a government-recognized institution teaching specific nursing branches for three years.
No, unless they are exempted, no person shall practice nursing without a proper certificate of registration from the Board of Examiners for Nurses.
Nurses of the United States Army or Navy on duty in the Philippines are exempted from registration.
The Board meets in Manila on the second Mondays of June and December each year to conduct examinations, and may also hold exams in other parts of the Philippines upon authorization by the Secretary of the Interior.
Violation may result in a fine of up to one thousand pesos, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, at the discretion of the court.
Grounds include conviction of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude, immoral or dishonorable conduct, unsound mind, unprofessional conduct, malpractice, incompetency, serious ignorance or malicious negligence, or use of fraud to obtain the certificate.
No. It is unlawful for any person to falsely represent themselves as a graduate nurse or use the letters R.N. without having a diploma or certificate issued by a recognized institution or board.
The secretary-treasurer must keep records of Board proceedings and a register of all persons issued certificates, including personal details, educational background, and institutions attended.
The Secretary of the Interior supervises and controls the Board, approves regulations, may remove Board members for cause, and hears appeals on certificate revocations, with the Secretary’s decision being final.