How to Become a Nurse in the Philippines
Many take the path to becoming a nurse in the Philippines – but the road can at times be unclear. The following guide is a map, and we’ve marked all the important milestones for those thinking about how to become a nurse in the Philippines.
Senior high schol
Aspiring nurses currently entering senior high school (SHS) should highly consider taking the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) strand. This is the preferred Academic program that is meant to prepare students for their collegiate nursing subjects.
University
Later on, choosing which nursing school to apply to is the next chief task. There are many factors to evaluate at this stage:
- Entrance examination / College admissions exam
- Application schedule
- Tuition & other fees
- Location
- School culture
- Curriculum
- Program reputation/reviews from alumni
Thoroughly research each and narrow your list down to a few schools. Here is a directory of schools that offer a nursing program in the Philippines.
(REMEMBER: Applying normally requires some sort of fee – you don’t want to spend on too many schools, especially those you are not serious about pursuing.)
Once admitted into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, a nurse-hopeful has 4 years of schooling and training ahead of them:
- The first year focuses on basic nursing skills
- Second year nursing students learn about care of mothers & newborns, children, families, communities, and population groups
- The third year introduces students to physiologic & psychosocial health problems and maladaptive patterns of behavior
- The fourth year involves a culmination of all that the nursing student has learned through an on-the-job training (OJT) program or practicum
Board exam
Following graduation is the board exam. In the Philippines, the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) twice a year. Those who are slated to take this exam typically enroll in review centers beforehand for refresher classes.
The coverage of the exam consists of 5 subjects that parallel the four-year curriculum of BSN:
- Community Health Nursing
- Care of Healthy/At Risk Mother and Child
- Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations (Part A)
- Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations (Part B)
- Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations (Part C)
In order to pass the NLE, an aspiring nurse must get a general average rating of at least 75%, and no less than 60% in any subject. In the event that one does get lower than 60%, they may retake the examination for the failed subject only. The results of the NLE are typically released 10 working days after the last day of the exam.
At this point, you’re a registered nurse! You are licensed to work and to care for patients. Now the job hunt begins – what are some of the next steps?
- Explore the latest jobs on Committed Health & test out our matching process
- Start putting together your CV/resume
- Discover upskilling programs to get additional certifications
- Browse our career guides and other curated nursing content on our resources library
As a last note: of course, this journey will not look the same for everyone; there are numerous ways & places to start, and Committed Health has many avenues available to assist you at whatever phase of your career you’re in.
Find open healthcare jobs here.