PRC scraps mass oath-taking for nurses

MANILA, Philippines -  No more lavish oath-taking ceremony for newly licensed nurses in the country.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has shelved the traditional mass oath-taking for those who passed the licensure examination for nurses.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the PRC decided to scrap the oath-taking for newly licensed nurses as part of the government’s austerity measures.

“Starting with the nursing graduates who successfully passed the July nursing licensure examination, there will be no more mass oath-taking,” Baldoz said.

PRC chairperson Teresita Manzala said the Board of Nursing (BON) issued an official communication withdrawing the request for the usual inspirational and congratulatory messages from top government officials which would have been published in the traditional souvenir program marking the oath-taking of newly registered nurses who hurdled the July 2011 licensure examination.

The BON is the regulatory board for nursing professionals under the PRC.

Manzala said the BON cited the current socio-economic conditions being experienced by Filipino families, especially in the income class where majority of the nurses belong, as main reason for the cancellation of the mass oath-taking.

“While the oath-taking is a requirement of law, the Board (of Nursing) decided to simplify it to save on costs and other expenses relevant to the holding of the traditional mass oath-taking,” she added.

Manzala, however, said the PRC would still administer the oath-taking either individually or in groups upon registration for nurse licenses with the PRC.

Baldoz expressed hope that the BON’s move would set an example to other government agencies to be practical in areas where effective and efficient fund management is necessary.

With the simple oath-taking, Baldoz said the government would save thousands of pesos on printing cost due to the cancellation of the souvenir program which is traditionally part of the expenses for such an event.

The names of those who passed the July nursing licensure examination are available on the PRC website at www.prc.gov.ph.