A Quezon City councilor is seeking an immediate investigation into complaints that private hospitals are exacting payment from new nursing graduates who undergo the training required by the nursing course curriculum.
Councilor Eden “Candy” Medina has filed a city council resolution asking the Nursing Board, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) to investigate and act on complaints and reports that newly graduated nursing students now face a problem worse than unemployment – they are required to pay for their own training at hospitals.
Medina said that, according to reports reaching her office. Apart from on-the-job trainees (OJT), newly graduated nursing students on training in most private hospitals are required to pay P3,000 or more a month in order to work as trainees in the said hospitals.
“Aside from high tuition rates, nursing students are also paying hospitals in order to receive training, when in fact, they work as if they are regular employees of the said hospitals,” Medina said
The scheme, the councilor said is one reason why some hospitals are freezing the hiring of new nurses, and instead, are accept OJT nursing students or new graduates to supplement the deficient number of nurses in their hospitals.
“Our constitution under Article 2, Section 18 provides that “The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare,” the lady lawmaker said.
In this regard, Medina believed that the legislature and other pertinent government agencies, such as the Nursing Board, PRC and PHA should take the necessary steps to prevent hospitals from making “milking cows” out of the OJTs and new nursing graduates, and provide a training program and career progression program that will help our nurses cope with the demands of the real world. -30- Maureen Quinones, PAISO
