Proposed Advanced Nursing Education Act Aims to Enhance Curriculum and Encourage Retention of Filipino Nurses
Senator Christopher Lawrence Go has once again emphasized the urgent need for the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 191, also known as the Advanced Nursing Education Act. The bill aims to modernizing nursing education and training methods in the Philippines to align with the demands of modern healthcare practices.
Acknowledging the country’s strong foundation in nursing education, Senator Go stressed the importance of protecting and improving the nursing profession. The proposed measure seeks to institute measures that will result in relevant nursing education, providing better career prospects and a dignified existence for nurses.
One of the key provisions of SB 191 is the establishment of standard basic and graduate programs for nursing education in the Commission on Higher Education-accredited institutions. The bill also mandates students to undergo community integration and immersion to encourage them to work in various communities.
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Furthermore, the graduate program proposed in SB 191 aims to build upon the experiences and skills of nurses, enabling them to achieve mastery, expertise, and leadership in practice, research, and education.
Senator Go also highlighted the need for additional benefits and incentives to encourage nurses to remain in the country. He emphasized the importance of providing nurses with appropriate compensation to discourage them from seeking employment abroad, where salaries are considerably higher.
The senator has been a strong advocate for the nursing profession and previously authored and co-sponsored Republic Act 11466, also known as the SSL5, which provided salary increases for nurses and other civilian government employees.
The Department of Health (DOH) recently reported in a public hearing that many qualified health workers, including nurses, migrate to other countries yearly. The DOH data revealed that from 1990 to 2017, 156,605 nurses were considered temporary migrants, and 17,491 were classified as permanent migrants. Moreover, out of the 305,708 licensed nurses in the country, only 179,818 are practicing their profession.
With the Advanced Nursing Education Act, Senator Go aims to address these issues and strengthen the nursing profession in the Philippines. By modernizing the curriculum and providing incentives, the bill strives to create a conducive environment for nurses to thrive and contribute to the country’s healthcare system, ultimately benefiting the overall well-being of Filipino citizens.
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