December 2010 Nursing Board Exam Result has Finally Released

Congratulations to our new nurses!! The Philippine Regulation Commission had officially released the list December 2010 NLE Board Exam passers. Although it took a long wait to finally see the result, the passers are now relax and excited to attend the oath taking ceremony and get their license.

There are 29,711 out of 84,287 (35.23%) passed the Nurse Licensure Examination. If you will notice, almost 3/4 of the examinees failed the exam. That shows, either the examination is too difficult or the examinees are not yet competent to be a registered nurse.

What ever the reason is, we can't deny the increasing number of nurses in our country. We just hope that our government will soon to open more job offers for our unemployed nurses not only for the nurses, but also for other profession, so that they will not think of leaving and work abroad for a better salary. If our government will just make more projects for our fellow nurses, maybe we may lessen the nurses working outside the country.

Again, congratulations to our new nurses. May you all spread the what they call "tender loving care" of a true blooded Filipino nurse.

Related links:

• Top 10 December 2010 NLE Board Passers
• Top Nursing School  of December 2010

December 2010 Nursing Board Exam Result

Last December 19 & 20, 2010, nursing graduates took their board examination for Nursing Licensure Examination. This was held nationwide in different part of the Philippines in some chosen schools and universities.
The Philippines Regulation Commission is the one responsible for releasing the lists of board passers, not only in nursing board exam but also in other profession. The Board of Nursing's responsibility is to make the exam for the examinees. Those two made the NLE (Nursing Licensure Exam) ready for the examinees. 

Because there are no result yet in the December 2010 Nursing Board Exam, we need to wait for the PRC to release it officially and congratulate all our new nurses.

Things to Do After Passing the Nursing Board Examination

Most of the graduating nursing students don't know what to do after their graduation day. Some will take a vacation, relax their mind and most are going to take the board examination. And because I also experienced being a nursing student, I know the feeling of eagerness to work in the hospital. But you will only allow to work in the hospital if you will pass the nursing board exam.

Graduating in a nursing course doesn't ends the learning period. You must continue studying nursing concept, especially when you want to take the board exam. Nursing study guides like reviewers, textbooks, manual and lectures will be your guide to increase your knowledge in nursing concept. So, if you just graduated from nursing course, I can give you some things that you can do.

Attend Hospital Trainings

Most of the newly board passers are having a hard time applying in a hospital, because school duties usually don't count as a hospital experience. So, if you are newly board passer, you need to attend trainings like hemodialysis training, IVT training and so on.

Some hospitals offer a free training for the new nurses, some are paid. Those training will help you increase you competency in working in the hospital. And this will be an advantage for you if you finish the training and you will try to work to other hospital.

After you complete the training, you can have your specialization skills. For instance, you attended hemodialysis training, you will now have a specialization skill in hemodialysis. So, if you really want to have the advantage to be hire in a hospital, you can attend training first and enhance your nursing skill.

Take Masteral degree in Nursing

Because there are lack of nursing jobs available for nurses, some board passers want to continue education by taking the master's degree. If you don't want to work in hospital yet, then you can continue your studies by taking the masteral degree in nursing. Taking the masteral degree will take around two years of studying. In this course, you need to focus more on your subjects.

There are lot of masteral degree in nursing like Masteral of Arts in Nursing, Masteral of Science in Nursing etc. You can choose whatever degree you want to learn.

After you completed the degree, your title can be a MAN (masteral of arts in nursing, MSN (masteral of sceince in nursing) etc.

Work as a Medical Transcriptionist

As a nursing student, you can also be a medical transcriptionist. But this requires a good in translating medical record from verbal to written.

In this job, you will write the verbal order in the computer. You must know the correct spelling of the medical orders and must be written in a correct words.

You must also be literate in computer. Most of the time, the medical transcription jobs require a 6months training course.

Nursing Jobs in the Philippines

Nowadays, a lot of high school graduates wanted to become a nurse as their profession. There's no doubt about it! Aside for having a neat, white and decent uniform, nurses are known for having a great salary compare to some other profession. I may agree on it, but not all nurses have a good salary, it still depends on the hospital rate. However, facing the reality, lack of nursing jobs in the Philippines triggers most nurses to stay unemployed.

Because there are lot of unemployed Filipino nurses today,  the Department of Labor and Employment made a move to solve the increasing number of unemployed nurses and increasing number of nurses working abroad. During the Arroyo administration, our former president made a program called NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service), which helped unemployed nurses to work in some provinces which the medical assistance is difficult to render. These provinces are said to be poor and the people who live there cannot afford the hospital expenses. By that program, many unemployed nurses during those times had jobs and having a salary of 8,000 pesos per month.

With our new administration, the DOLE re-programmed the NARS and make it more accessible to our nurses. They called it the "RN Heals project". The new program requires the nurses to apply online, same with the NARS. It has almost the same system of application , but the DOLE expands the area to help more nurses. Experienced or inexperienced nurses can apply to the said program.  No discrimination in the program. Unlike those hospitals who requires 2 years experience with seminars or what so ever trainings they need. The government wanted to help our fellow nurses by giving more nursing jobs so they can practice what they had learned and expand they skills in rendering care in our own country. This may also lessen the increasing number of nurses working abroad.

Yes, sad to say that Filipino nurses need work abroad because of lack of job vacancy in our own country. They just wanted to practice their skills and the same time earn money for their family. And so, good to know that our government is making an effort to limit the number of nurses working abroad. I hope that this is a great start to polish more future great nurses in our country.

How to Choose a Best Perfermong Nursing School or University?

Choosing a university, especially nursing school, is not difficult nowadays because there are lot of new nursing schools. However, you can't tell what is performing well in nursing course. If you are about to enter college and will taking nursing, you probably looking for a best performing nursing school. I would love to share some tips while you are deciding what school to choose.

1. Make a list of schools or university. The first thing you need to do upon looking for a well performing nursing school is to make a lists of your desire schools. Do some research and know their status in nursing courses. Break down your lists into 5 top schools you like. Then down to two best school. Now, it is easier for you to decide between the two schools.

2. Check the school. After you breakdown your list into two schools you want, it is time to check the facilities of the school. But before doing that, you must inquire first about the enrollment, the monthly payments, and so on. If all those things were okay with you, then it's the right time to check the school facilities. There are some schools that have nice gate yet with poor quality classrooms. So, better check the restrooms, classrooms, library, and canteens. Those said facilities are necessary for you while studying especially preparing for your nursing examinations..

3.  Check their status/reputation. This is very important when it comes to choosing a university. I experienced being a college student and I also did these tips, and it really helped me a lot. The reputation and status of the school are important because some hospitals are prioritizing the nursing graduates when they came from a well known universities. But I'm not saying it in general. I mean, there are few hospitals who are giving a high percentage of getting hired when the applicant nurse studied from a popular school.

Studying in a university is not as easy as in high-school. College life is more serious matter because your future career will begins here. Another serious matter to talk to is the school you are about to enroll in. Choosing a well performing nursing school is a good choice. However, it depends on how you strive to be the best in class, that matters most. So, good luck on your college life. Enjoy learning and be a good nurse in the near future.

Nursing Board Exam Result December 2010

After a long preparation, the December 2010 Nursing board exam is finally done. The exam is held in different part of the country (Manila, Cagayan, Baguio, Naga, Davao etc.) The PRC is expecting that almost half of the examinees will pass the licensure exam and be ready to practice nursing skills in the hospitals.

And because the result will takes a month before it release, most of the nursing graduates will try to practice their skills as a volunteer workers in the hospital, clinic or health care community. Some will continue their nursing education by taking the Master's Degree in Nursing. It is a pre-requisite skill if you want to be a professor or a clinical instructor. Anyway, this is just an optional things you may do while waiting for the exam result.

As soon as the Philippine Regulation Commission release the newly board passers, the nursing study guides site will immediately post the lists, of course, from the official site of PRC. Good luck to our future nurses.

Nursing care Plan for Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is a chronic hepatic disease that is characterized by destruction of the functional liver cells, which leads to cellular death. In cirrhosis, the damaged liver cells regenerate as fibrosis areas instead of functional cells, causing alterations in liver structure, function, blood circulation, and lymph damage. The major cellular changes include irreversible chronic injury of the functional liver tissue and the formation of regenerative nodules. These changes result in liver cell necrosis, collapse of liver support networks, distortion of the vascular bed, and nodular regeneration of the remaining liver cells. This disease alters liver structure and normal vasculature, impairs blood and lymph flow, and ultimately causes hepatic insufficiency.

Causes for Cirrhosis depending on the type for Cirrhosis

• Hepatocellular disease, Postnecrotic cirrhosis called portal, nutritional, or alcoholic cirrhosis stems from various types of hepatitis e.g. A, B, C, or D viral hepatitis or toxic exposures. Damage of the Livver results from malnutrition and overuse of alcohol. Fibrous tissue forms in portal areas and around central veins. Autoimmune disease, such as sarcoidosis and chronic inflammatory bowel disease, may result in cirrhosis.
• Cholestatic diseases, Cholestatic diseases include diseases of the biliary tree and sclerosing cholangitis.
• Metabolic diseases, metabolic diseases include disorders such as Wilson’s disease, alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, and hemochromatosis.
• Other types of cirrhosis, other types of cirrhosis include Budd-Chiari syndrome, cardiac cirrhosis, and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Cardiac cirrhosis is rare; the liver damage results from right-sided heart failure. Cryptogenic refers to cirrhosis of unknown cause

Complications for Cirrhosis

• Portal hypertension,
• Bleeding esophageal varices
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Hepatorenal syndrome.

Diagnostic tests for Cirrhosis

• Liver biopsy
• Abdominal X-rays
• Computed tomography and liver scans
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
• Blood and Urine and stool studies disclose increased urine levels of bilirubin and urobilinogen; fecal urobilinogen levels decrease

Common Nursing diagnoses found on Nursing care Plans for Cirrhosis

• Activity intolerance
• Disturbed thought processes
• Excess fluid volume
• Hopelessness
• Imbalanced nutrition: Less than body requirements
• Risk for deficient fluid volume
• Risk for impaired skin integrity
• Risk for injury

Nursing Key outcomes nursing care Plans for Cirrhosis

The patient will:

• Perform ADL activities of daily living without excessive fatigue or exhaustion.
• Remain oriented to his environment.
• Show no signs of circulatory overload.
• Participate in decisions about care.
• Maintain adequate caloric intake.
• Patient’s fluid volume will remain within normal parameters.
• Patient’s skin integrity will remain intact.
• Avoid or minimize complications.

Nursing interventions nursing care Plans for Cirrhosis

• Monitor vital signs, intake and output, and electrolyte levels to determine fluid volume status.
• Assess fluid retention
• Weigh the patient daily and document his weight.
• Administer diuretics, potassium, and protein or vitamin supplements as ordered.
• Restrict sodium and fluid intake as ordered.
• Assist and provide oral hygiene before and after meals.
• Determine food preferences and provide them within the patient’s prescribed diet limitations.
• Provide frequent, small meals.
• Observe and document the degree of sclera and skin jaundice.
• Give the patient frequent skin care.
• Observe for bleeding gums, ecchymosed, epitasis, and petechiae.
• Inspect stools for amount, color, and consistency.
• Increase the patient’s exercise tolerance by decreasing fluid volumes and providing rest periods before exercise.
• Use appropriate safety measures to protect the patient from injury.
• Watch for signs of anxiety , epigastric fullness, restlessness, and weakness.
• Observe closely for signs of behavioral or personality changes.
• Observe Report increasing stupor, lethargy, hallucinations, or neuromuscular dysfunction. Arouse the patient periodically to determine level of consciousness. Watch for asterixis, a sign of developing encephalopathy.
• Allow the patient to express his feelings about having cirrhosis.
• Provide psychological support and encouragement, when appropriate.

Patient teaching nursing care Plans for Cirrhosis

• Warn the patient against taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, straining to defecate, and blowing his nose or sneezing too vigorously. To minimize the risk of bleeding.
• Suggest using a soft toothbrush and a electric razor
• Advise the patient that rest and good nutrition conserve energy and decrease metabolic demands on the liver.
• Suggest the patient to eat frequent, small meals. Teach him to alternate periods of rest and activity to reduce oxygen demand and prevent fatigue.
• Tell the patient how he can conserve energy while performing activities of daily living. For example, suggest that he sit on a bench while bathing or dressing.
• Stress the need to avoid infections and abstain from alcohol. Refer the patient to alcohol abuse treatment Anonymous, if appropriate
• Alcohol abuse treatment. Emphasize to the patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis that continued alcohol use exacerbates the disease. Stress that alcoholic liver disease in its early stages is reversible when the patient abstains from alcohol. Encourage family involvement in. Assist the patient in obtaining counseling or support for her or his alcoholism.
• Encourage the patient to seek frequent medical follow-up and  Refer the patient to an alcohol support group or liver transplant support group.