Philippine Nursing Act and Related Laws

Learning Outcomes

• Adhere to ethical and legal considerations when providing safe, quality, and professional nursing care
• Apply ethical reasoning and decision-making processes to address situations of ethical distress and moral dilemmas
• Adhere to established norms of conduct

Contents

• RA 9173: Philippine Nurses Act
• RA 7305: Magna Carta for Public Health Worker
• RA 11332: Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases
• PD 856: Sanitation Code
• RA 8749: Clean Air Act
• RA 6675: Generic Act
• RA 7875: National Health Insurance Act
• RA 7432: Expanded Senior Citizen's Act of 2003
• RA 9165: Revised Dangerous Drugs Law
• RA 10028: Breastfeeding Act

Republic Act 9173: Philippine Nursing Act

• An act providing a more responsive nursing profession, repealing Republic Act No. 7164
• Known as the Philippine Nursing Act of 1991

Organization of the Board of Nursing

• Appointed by the president of the Philippines
• Composed of a chairperson and six (6) members
• Qualifications for board members include being a natural born citizen and resident of the Philippines; a member of a good standing professional organization of nurses; a registered nurse; and holder of a master's degree in nursing, education or other allied medical profession conferred by a college

Requirements Upon Qualification as Member of the Board of Nursing

• Must not have been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude
• Must have at least ten (10) years of continuous professional practice prior to appointment; the last five (5) years of which shall be in the Philippines

Term of Office

• The chairperson and members of the board hold office for a term of three (3) years
• They may be re-appointed for another term
• Until successors are appointed

Compensation of the Board Members

• Compensation and allowances are comparable to those of the chairperson and members of other professional regulatory boards

Administrative Supervision of the Board

• All board records, including applications for examinations and administrative and other investigative cases, are under the Commission's custody
• The Commission designates the Board's secretary and provides support services
• The task of conducting licensure examinations for nurses, issuing, suspending, or revoking certificates of registration for nursing practice, and monitoring clinical practices in the Philippines falls under the Commission's responsibility

Powers and Duties of the Board

• Conducting hearings and investigations to resolve complaints against nurse practitioners for unethical and unprofessional conduct and violations of the Act or its rules and regulations
• Promulgating a Code of Ethics in coordination with accredited professional organizations of nurses
• Recognizing nursing specialty organizations in coordination with accredited professional organizations
• Prescribing, adopting, and promulgating guidelines, regulations, measures, and decisions as necessary

Examination and Registration

• All applicants for a nursing license must pass a written examination
• The examination will be administered in designated locations and dates, in accordance with Republic Act No. 8981

Qualifications for Admission to the Licensure Examination

• Applicant must be a Filipino citizen
• Applicant must be of good moral character
• Applicant must hold a Bachelor's degree in nursing from a university or college

Scope of Examination

• The scope is determined by the Board
• Specific areas include Fundamentals of Nursing, Professional Adjustment, Maternal and Child Health Nursing

Five Parts of the Examination

• Nursing Practice I (Basic Foundation of Nursing and Professional Nursing Practice) : (100 items)
• Nursing Practice II (Community Health Nursing and Care of the Mother and Child): (100 items)
• Nursing Practice III (Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations, Part A): (100 items)
• Nursing Practice IV (Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations, Part B): (100 items)
• Nursing Practice V (Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations, Part C): (100 items)
• The examination covers Community Health and Communicable Disease Nursing, Nursing of Adolescents, Adults, and Aged, and Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing.

Ratings

• To pass the examination, an examinee must obtain a general average of at least 75% and a rating of not below 60% in any subject.

Oath

• All successful candidates must take a professional oath before the Board or any authorized government official

Revocation and Suspension of Certificates

• The Board has the power to revoke or suspend a certificate of registration/professional license or cancel a special/temporary permit under specific grounds, including unprofessional and unethical conduct

Re-Issuance of Revoked Certificates and Replacement of Lost Certificates

Nursing Education Program

• The nursing education program should provide a strong general and professional foundation in nursing.

Requirements for Inactive Nurses Returning to Practice

• If a nurse hasn't actively practiced for five (5) consecutive years, they must undergo one (1) month of didactic training and three (3) months of practicum

Qualifications of Faculty

• The faculty member must be a registered nurse in the Philippines.
• The faculty member must have at least one (1) year of clinical practice in a particular field of specialization.
• They should be in good standing with the accredited professional organization for nurses.
• The member of the faculty must have a master's degree in nursing, education or another related medical and health science field.

Scope of Nursing

• A person is considered practicing nursing in the Philippines when he/she initiates and performs nursing services for individuals, families, and communities.
• Nursing care encompasses various age groups

As Independent Practitioners

• Nurses are responsible for promoting health and preventing illness
• Collaboration with other healthcare providers is important

Duties of the Nurse

• Providing nursing care using the nursing process, which includes traditional and innovative approaches, and therapeutic use of self.
• Executing health care techniques and procedures.
• Providing essential primary health care, comfort measures, and health teachings.
• Administering written prescriptions for medical treatments, therapies, oral/topical, and parenteral medications

Duty of the Nurse (Cont.)

• Establishing connections with community resources
• Guiding individuals, families, and communities
• Supervise students in nursing education
• Undertaking nursing training

Qualification of Nursing Service Administrators

• To be a supervisor or manager, requirements include at least five (5) years of experience in nursing, a nursing degree, and a particular number of education units.

Penal and Miscellaneous Provisions

• Practicing nursing without a certificate can result in a fine or prison time
• False declarations, using another's certificate, and similar actions are prohibited

Work During Rest Day

• Public health workers who are required to work on their rest days are entitled to additional compensation

Night-Shift Differential

• Public health workers are paid a differential for working night shifts.

Salaries

• Public health workers' salaries are based on Republic Act No. 6758.
• Salary benchmarks for rural health physicians are upgraded to Grade 24

Compensation

• Public health workers receive hazard, subsistence, longevity, laundry, and remote assignment allowances

Longevity Pay

• A monthly longevity pay equivalent to 5% of the basic monthly salary is granted for every five (5) years of service

Administrative Charges

• Administrative charges against a public health worker are heard by a committee.
• The committee includes the provincial health officer, a representative from a public health workers organization, and a district supervisor.
• Findings and recommendations from the committee are submitted to the Secretary of Health within 30 days of the hearings

Additional Pages

• Compulsory medical examination and vacation and sick leaves
• Reporting of notifiable diseases and public health events
• Health threats through surveillance and response systems

This quiz tests your knowledge on the Philippine Nursing Act (RA 9173) and associated laws related to nursing and public health. Explore the responsibilities of the state, rights of health workers, informed consent, and more. Challenge your understanding of the legal frameworks governing nursing practices in the Philippines.