TASK COURSE

One of the issues in nursing today is a pending bill seeking amendments/ revisions to RA9173

1. Find out which specific provisions will answer to the following issues affecting nurses and nursing practice in the
Philippines.

A. Advance nursing practice

B. Compensation

C. Staffing

2. how do these proposed amendment's relate to current nursing practice?

ADVANCE NURSING PRACTICE

ARTICLE VI

Nursing Practice

Section 28. Scope of Nursing. - A person shall be deemed to be practicing nursing within the meaning of this Act when
he/she singly or in collaboration with another, initiates and performs nursing services to individuals, families and
communities in any health care setting. It includes, but not limited to, nursing care during conception, labor, delivery,
infancy, childhood, toddler, preschool, school age, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. As independent practitioners,
nurses are primarily responsible for the promotion of health and prevention of illness. As members of the health team,
nurses shall collaborate with other health care providers for the curative, preventive, and rehabilitative aspects of care,
restoration of health, alleviation of suffering, and when recovery is not possible, towards a peaceful death. It shall be the
duty of the nurse to:

(a) Provide nursing care through the utilization of the nursing process. Nursing care includes, but not limited to,
traditional and innovative approaches, therapeutic use of self, executing health care techniques and procedures,
essential primary health care, comfort measures, health teachings, and administration of written prescription for
treatment, therapies, oral topical and parenteral medications, internal examination during labor in the absence of
antenatal bleeding and delivery. In case of suturing of perineal laceration, special training shall be provided according to
protocol established;

(b) establish linkages with community resources and coordination with the health team;

(c) Provide health education to individuals, families and communities;

(d) Teach, guide and supervise students in nursing education programs including the administration of nursing
services in varied settings such as hospitals and clinics; undertake consultation services; engage in such
activities that require the utilization of knowledge and decision-making skills of a registered nurse; and

(e) Undertake nursing and health human resource development training and research, which shall include, but
not limited to, the development of advance nursing practice;

Provided, That this section shall not apply to nursing students who perform nursing functions under the direct
supervision of a qualified faculty: Provided, further, That in the practice of nursing in all settings, the nurse is duty-bound
to observe the Code of Ethics for nurses and uphold the standards of safe nursing practice. The nurse is required to
maintain competence by continual learning through continuing professional education to be provided by the accredited
professional organization or any recognized professional nursing organization: Provided, finally, That the program and
activity for the continuing professional education shall be submitted to and approved by the Board.

Sec 29 Qualifications of Nursing Service Administrators – persons occupying supervisory or managerial positions; must
be: 2RBM

a. Registered nurse of the Phils

b. Atleast (2) yrs experience in general service administration

c. Possess a BSN degree with atleast (9) units in management & administration courses at the graduate level

d. Member of good standing of the accredited professional organization of nurses

In addition to above rqtms, a chief nurse or director or nursing shall possess:

a. Atleast (5) yrs experience in a supervisory or managerial position in Nx

b. Master’s degree major in Nx

Provided further, that MOPP

a. the maximum academic qualifications & experiences for a chief nurse in primary hospitals shall be shall as
specified in a, b and c of this section – 2RB

b. the chief nurses in public health agencies who have a master’s degree in public health/community health
shall be given priority

c. for chief nurses in military hospitals, those who have finished a master’s degree in Nx and have competed the
General Staff Course (GSC) shall be given priority

d. those occupying positions such positions before the effectivity of this Act shall be given (5) yrs to qualify

COMPENSATION

Sec 7: Compensation of Board Members

The Chairperson & Board Members shall receive compensation & allowances comparable to that of members of other
professional regulatory boards.

Sec 32 Salary

The minimum base pay of nurses working in public health institutions shall not be lower than salary grade 15 under RA
6758 “Compensation & Classification Act of 1989”. Provided that for nurses working in local govt units, adjustments to
their salaries will be in accordance with Sec 10 of said law.

Sec 34 Incentives & Benefits

PRBON, in coordination with DOH, other concerned govt agencies & the APO, shall establish an incentive & benefit
system for nurses and their dependents in the form of free hospital care, scholarship grants & other non-cash benefits.

Govt and private hospitals shall be mandated to maintain the standard nurse-patient ratio set by DOH.
STAFFING:

ARTICLE VII HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCE PRODUCTION, UTILIZATION & DEVT: SCSFI

Sec 30 Studies for Nursing Manpower Prod’n, Utilization, Needs & Devt

The Board shall initiate, undertake & conduct studies on human health resource, prod’n, utilization & devt in accordance
with the APO (accredited prof. org.) and appropriate govt and private agencies.

2. How do these proposed amendments relate to current nursing practice?

Salary/Compensation
Registered Nurses hired at Hospitals commonly receive an average salary of P9,757 per month. In the
government, the average salary per month is around P13,500 while in private sector, the rate average is
around P10,000 per month.

Overworked and underpaid

The biggest challenge that nurses face in our country’s health care set up is the high nurse to patient ratio,
especially in rural and public hospitals. Top this off with an extremely low salary with minimal benefits that
drive qualified candidates away.

Despite all the hard work that our nurses do, their salary barely makes up for it. Considering that they save
lives, it’s quite glaring how poorly compensated most of them are in our country.  According to the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in the local labor market, an entry-level registered nurse
receives a salary of ₱8,000 – ₱13,500 per month.  Registered nurses hired at hospitals commonly receive an
average salary of ₱9,757 per month. 

In the government, the average salary per month is around ₱13,500 while in the private sector, the rate
average is around ₱10,000 per month.

Compared to other public servants in the country like teachers and police officers who are now enjoying a
fairly good compensation, nurses are still getting exploited or compensated poorly at best.

This leaves hospitals and nurses currently working in these centers short-handed, thus creating the chaotic set
up for nurses now where it’s common for them to work longer hours without getting paid extra and take care
of more patients that they could handle.

Besides the fact that most nurses are not adequately compensated, they are also often exploited by hospitals
in return for earning a nursing experience (volunteer).

While working an extra 1 to 3 hours in an office set-up on an extremely busy day can be normal, it’s basically a
normal scenario for nurses every day.

Nurses don’t exactly clock off immediately when their 8-hour shift is up. On a typical day, they work beyond
their working hours endorsing all their patients to the next shift without getting paid for their one or two hour
overtime service. On some days, nurses have been known to work 16 hours straight due to the unexpected
absence of a colleague.

“The salary increase of our nurses is still a dream.”

Perhaps, nurses are leaving not just because of the promising opportunities overseas, but also because of how
underappreciated their profession is in the Philippines.