ARMM Health Secretary Dr. Tahir Sulaik, said applicants can apply via internet or go to the nearest provincial labor and health offices on or before April 2.
Sulaik said November 2008 nursing board passers can apply for the 2nd Batch since “they haven’t taken oath as well as gotten their PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) licenses.”
The NARS program is a collaborative undertaking of DOLE, DOH and PRC’s Board of Nursing (PRC-BON
NARS, a national “training cum employment” service launched by the President on February 9, is designed to mobilize 10,000 registered nurses in 1,000 poorest municipalities in the country and improve the delivery of health care services.”
ARMM has five provinces and two cities – Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan. It has 124 towns, 89 of which belong to the poorest of the poor category.
Undersecretary Carmelita Pineda of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the “training cum employment scheme’ will deploy registered nurses in their hometowns for an actual practice of clinical functions and public health services.”
Pineda said the nurses would be paid “while gaining the work experience beneficial for full-time employment here and abroad.”
In ARMM, 89 towns qualified for the NARS program based on National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) 2003 survey on poverty incidence. Each municipality is entitled to five nurses.
Project NARS will have two consecutive batches to be trained. Each batch composes of 5,000 nurses. The training for the 1st Batch is on April 15 to October 15, 2009; while the training for the 2nd Batch is on October 16 to April 16, 2010.
“Each nurse will render service for six months and (receive a) stipend of P8,000 monthly, a bag inclusive of medical equipment and reading materials. After the training, they will be given Certificate of Competency and/or Completion and will be considered for priority employment to vacant posts in government health facilities,” Pineda said.
For six months, nurses-trainees will render three-month service each to two areas of practice – hospital and Rural Health Unit (RHU). They are also expected to do their three main tasks: initiate primary health, school nutrition, maternal health programs and first line diagnosis; inform the public on community water sanitation practices and perform health surveillance; and immunize children and mothers. (MindaNews)
