DOH, CHED sign MOU on hiring underboard nurses

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed yesterday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that seeks to address the shortage of nurses in the country and provide nursing graduates job opportunities.

President Marcos witnessed the signing of the MOU, which will permit nursing underboard graduates to work as critical care associates.

“Overcoming the handicaps of our health care system will always be a top priority,” the President said during the signing ceremony in Malacañang.

“It is a groundbreaking endeavor and I am confident that it’s a program that will help address the life of health care workers in the country today.”

Under the MOU, public and private hospitals will hire underboard nursing graduates as critical care associates for one year, which can be renewed twice if they fail to pass the licensure examinations for nursing. It also seeks to develop an upskilling program in coordination with higher education institutions.

“As a very simple explanation, it allows… those nursing graduates who have taken their boards and have not been able to pass the board this time will be allowed to work nonetheless if they can establish their competencies in certain subjects of the nursing curriculum. And that way, they can get to work immediately,” Marcos said.

In July, the CHED and DOH issued Joint Administrative Order No. 2023-0001 to address the lack of health care workers in the country.

The directive was issued in response to the recommendation of the Private Sector Advisory Council-Healthcare Sector Group to provide underboard nursing graduates a path to employment as critical care associates in hospitals while preparing them for the nursing licensure exams.

Marcos directed the DOH and CHED to oversee the efficient implementation of the program. “And to the underboard nurses out there who are contemplating what to do next: I call on you to apply for this program and embrace the support being wholeheartedly given to you by the government and the institutions that we represent,” he said. – Rhodina Villanueva