NEWS

Gov’t Employs Nurses for Rural Area Assignment
13 March 2009

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has announced that the government will be hiring nurses to serve rural communities, hospitals and other medical providers all over the country.

In a statement release by the Department, DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque said that the NARS (Nurses Assigned In Rural Service) program is a training-cum employment scheme wherein the hired nurse-trainees will be trained not only in providing basic health services to needy folks in rural areas but also in performing clinical functions under the guidance of participating hospitals and other medical facilities in areas where the nurse-trainees will be assigned.

The program aims to decrease the surplus of inexperienced nurses, hinder the proliferation of "volunteer nurses" working in hospitals without being paid, promote the health of the people, and bring government services closer to the grassroots.

DOLE will work in close coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and Board of Nursing (BON) of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC). DOH will identify the hospitals and other medical providers that would participate in the said program and supervise the training of the nurse-trainees.

Together with the health department, the PRC-BON will formulate the training module and related development and learning activities. The Commission will also assess the performance of the nurse-trainees in order to assure that they are equipped with the essential skills and knowledge for employment locally, and eventually, overseas.

Nurses will be deployed in poverty-stricken areas to work in its community hospitals for two 6-months tour of duty. An average of five nurses will be assigned per town, receiving a monthly salary of P8,000.00. Around 1,000 rural municipalities will benefit from the project.

According to the NARS program guidelines posted at the DOLE website, completion of the training program under NARS program shall be considered as a substitute for the work experience requirement of hospitals and other health facilities, both local and overseas. A Certificate of Completion shall be issued to hired nurses, jointly signed by DOLE, DOH and PRC.

Unemployed registered nurses with a valid nurse license issued by the PRC who are physically and mentally fit and willing to serve in their hometowns are allowed to apply for the said program. NARS applicants must not be over 35 years old, a resident of the identified municipality, and has no nursing-related practice for 1 – 3 years. Recruitment and selection for the first batch began last February 23, 2009 and will end on March 31, 2009. Recruitment and selection for the second batch will begin on August 12 up to September 30, 2009.

Qualified applicants may apply online at http://www.nars.dole.gov.ph/, or at the nearest DOLE regional office.

The NARS Program was launched by President Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo during the multi-sectoral summit, “Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis” held last February 9, 2009 at the Malacañang Palace organized by DOLE and Department of Trade and Industry.

Trabaho.com. thanks its following sources:

DOLE News Section. NARS to train inexperienced nurses in public health and clinical functions (Posted February 17, 2009) Retrieved February 18, 2009 from
http://www.dole.gov.ph/news/details.asp?id=N000002294

DOLE News Section. Nurses Assigned in Rural Services (NARS) Program Description. Retrieved February 13, 2009 from
http://www.dole.gov.ph/contact/narspage.asp
Re-posted at DOLE NARS website at http://www.nars.dole.gov.ph/about.aspx

Esguerra Christian V., Kristine L. Alave, Philippine Daily Inquirer. 50,000 ‘green collar’ workers needed. (Posted February 10, 2009) Retrieved February 13, 2009 from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090210-188403/50000-green-collar-workers-needed

Morales, Izah, INQUIRER.net. 10,000 nursing jobs in RP—labor chief (Posted February 11, 2009) Retrieved February 13, 2009 from
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090211-188680/10000-nursing-jobs-in-RPlabor-chief

Antonio, Raymund F., Manila Bulletin. Gov’t hiring 10,000 nurses for provinces (Posted February 12, 2009) Retrieved February 13, 2009 from
http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN20090212147953.html