Armed Forces of the Philippines can offer a JOB OPPORTUNITY to the NEW NURSES!
Out of the 17,891 examinees, only 9,707 made the cut in the latest Nursing Board Exam given nationwide last May 2015. That would mean an additional 9,707 battling for employment as a registered nurse.
INSPIRING, A JEEPNEY DRIVER’S DAUGHTER LANDED 2ND PLACE
Charlyn Montebon Villa, daughter of a jeepney driver and a graduate of Riverside College in Bacolod landed second in the recently conducted nursing licensure examination. Poverty could have been an obstacle for her to reach her goal but according to her, she wanted to be a nurse so bad.
Charlyn’s success is one good example of why we need to be persistent on chasing our dreams. “We didn’t have money”, she recalled in an interview but obviously this did not deter her to accomplish what she’s so far accomplished.
It is not surprising that due to her performance in the board exam, Charlyn already have job offerings and most likely those who landed the top 10 spot will also share the same fate.
WHERE WILL THE OTHERS GO?
The question that I have in mind now is– will the Philippine government be able to provide jobs for the other 9,697 newly registered nurses? With the current state that we are in, the answer is obvious. We can expect these registered nurses lining up to agencies and training centers that would enable them to obtain employment abroad. We will also see an army of nurses volunteering to hospitals just to gain experience, again, as a requirement for a nursing job abroad. Of course no one should blame them for this diaspora especially if they have families to support and our very own country couldn’t provide for employment.
WHY DID THEY TAKE UP NURSING IN THE FIRST PLACE?
In one of the youth seminars that we have organized several years back, I was able to speak to a college nursing student who revealed that he was only taking up the course because he was forced to do so by his parents. He was in a state of frustration because he didn’t know where his efforts in school were leading him. Just a month ago, I saw this guy in a police uniform. I failed to ask though if he finished nursing or shifted to another course for him to become the police officer that he is now.
In the Philippines, opportunities may be scarce for this group of professionals but I know of people who did not allow this nursing employment drought to get to them and so they became entrepreneurs, teachers, policemen, lawyers and doctors.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NURSES!
What prompted me to actually write this article is when I learned from a friend that there is actually a solution to this lack of employment for nurses – The Armed Forces of the Philippines NURSE CORPS.
AFP NURSE CORPS has been in existence for around 75 years now. Accordingly, this group is inspired by Melchora Aquino who, during the revolution, fed, gave medical attention to and encouraged the revolutionaries with motherly advice and prayers.
In a video I saw that was dedicated to the 75th anniversary of AFP NURSE CORPS, BGEN Irma Almoneda NC (GSC), The Chief Nurse, AFP defined the nurse corps by saying – “ang Nurse Corps ay kaagapay sa pagtutupad ng pangkalahatang pangangalaga ng kalusugan ng mga kasundaluhan…” My take is they won’t really go to war like the soldiers but they will be in charge of taking care of the wounded in case there is war. In the absence of war, they are the once conducting activities that would ensure that our soldiers and their beneficiaries are maintaining good health.
How then can a nurse join the AFP NURSE CORPS? Here are the requirements.REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMISSION-SHIP IN THE NURSE CORPS
FOR SINGLES:
- Must be a natural born Filipino citizen
- Must have a pleasing personality and good moral character
- Registered nurse with a Board rating of 80% or above. Below 80% may be admitted, but should pass a qualifying examination to be conducted by the Office of the Chief Nurse, AFP
- Male and female applicants must be single or never been married. For female applicants, must not be positively found to have given birth to a living stillborn child.
- Not more than 32 years old at the time of commission
- Must satisfy the following height requirements:
Female – at least 5′ 2″
Male – at least 5′ 4″
- Must be mentally and physically fit for military service and cleared by the appropriate security agencies.
IF MARRIED:
- First priority shall be given to Enlisted Personnel who are registered nurses by profession with at least three (3) years of active military service and have successfully completed the Clinical Nursing Program for EP Nurses being conducted by the Office of The Chief Nurse, AFP.
- Second priority shall be given to other applicants who have satisfied the additional following additional requirements:
a.) With at least three (3) years of current and continuous professional experience in hospital/clinic settings and or as member of a faculty of a recognized School of Nursing.
b.) Preferably with Master in Nursing or at least nine (9) units of post graduate studies leading to Master in Nursing.
If you meet any of the above requirements, you should also prepare the following documents:
- Resume with 2×2 Picture;
- College Diploma;
- Transcript of Records;
- Certificate of Board Rating.
Submit the above documents to the Office of the Chief Nurse at the Heneral Valdez Building at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City for initial evaluation.
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DISCLAIMER: The article is written for the purpose of informing the readers that there is a Department in the AFP called AFP Nurse Corps and does not in any way guarantee vacancies in the AFP NURSE CORPS. Please contact the AFP for current vacancies.
