It has to go in a custom footer (not html module) to work*. The source, which also has some interesting thoughts on the desirability of disabling right click, is below: http://javascript.about.com/library/blnoright.htm *Using in a custom footer:replace all code in xslt box with this: ]]>

QUICKLINKS : CHAT RULES / PINOYBSN FORUM

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Retake of nursing licensure exam ‘final,’ says DOLE

Retake of nursing licensure exam ‘final,’ says DOLE


By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 03:58pm (Mla time) 02/24/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- The voluntary retake of tests 3 and 5 of the June 2006 nursing licensure exam for the 17,000 who passed it is “final,” Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said Saturday.

Continue reading on : http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=51383

PRC to press nurses' case despite CGFNS stand

PRC to press nurses' case despite CGFNS stand

Unfazed by the hardline stance of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, Philippine officials are still pushing through with a plan to appeal the case of nursing graduates who passed the leakage-marred June 2006 board exam.


Continue reading on : http://www.gmanews.tv/story/31919/PRC-to-press-nurses-case-despite-CGFNS-stand

CGFNS CEO ADVICE TO ROSERO: DECISION IS FINAL

CGFNS CEO ADVICE TO ROSERO: DECISION IS FINAL
No useful purpose would be served by Dr. Rosero's traveling to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA, 8 PM EST February 23, 2007; 9 AM Manila Time, February 24, 2007 — Philippine Regulation Commission Chair Dr. Leonor Rosero and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) CEO Barbara Nichols spoke with each other by telephone Saturday morning, February 24 Manila time. Dr. Nichols requested the telephone conversation so that she might provide Dr. Rosero with additional information regarding CGFNS's recent decision to deny VisaScreen® certification to nurses licensed following the June 2006 licensure examination. A VisaScreen Certificate is required before any healthcare worker educated outside the U.S. can be issued an occupational visa to work in the United States.

During the conversation, Dr. Nichols assured Dr. Rosero that CGFNS was fully aware of and concerned about the hardship that its decision might cause to the June 2006 passers. Dr. Nichols noted, however, that the decision is final, and no useful purpose would be served by Dr. Rosero coming to the United States to make an "appeal" of that decision. The CGFNS CEO made several points during the conversation, among them:


* CGFNS is not a Court or a Government agency. It is a private, nonprofit corporation. The Board of Trustees, the highest authority of that corporation, has made this decision. There is no process or provision for an appeal or reconsideration of a Board decision. There is no higher authority than the Board of Trustees.

* The decision of the CGFNS Board of Trustees is required by U.S. immigration law in circumstances such as this. In this case, because passers of the June 2006 Philippine nursing licensure exam were found to have a license that was not comparable to a U.S. nursing license, the Board was required to determine that a VisaScreen Certificate may not be issued to such individuals.

* The decision of the Board of Trustees on this issue was unanimous. There was not a single No vote.

* As evidence of its compassion and concern about the consequences of its decision, CGFNS provided an opportunity for the June passers to "cure" their present ineligibility by re-taking the equivalent of Tests 3 and 5. CGFNS will therefore gladly accept the passing test scores of any nurse who had the courage to re-take the licensure exam--in whole or in part--in December 2006. And it has urged the Philippine Government to allow the June 2006 passers to re-take Tests 3 and 5 during 2007.

* This decision of the CGFNS Board is final; the matter is settled.

Source: CGFNS

Friday, February 23, 2007

Beware of gabbly hackers....

Beware of gabbly hackers....

There is an abuse in gabbly wherein, you can use ANY registered name even without knowing the password.

In short, they can immitate and login to my account or any other account.

Yesterday somebody told me that someone named @Budek is swearing to everyone in the channel. Remember to take extra care and make sure you are talking with the right person.

Salamat po.......

OLFU Video in YOU TUBE

Sir vasquez uploaded the Tribute Video for the NLE passers, check it on YOU TUBE search for
"TRIBUTE TO OLFU NLE PASSERS"

DoLE plans to administer nursing board retake

DoLE plans to administer nursing board retake

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) plans to administer the retake of the tainted portions of the June 2006 nursing licensure exams, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said Tuesday.


Continue reading on : http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=187&a=18296

Most Pinoys trust nurses who passed June exam - SWS poll

Most Pinoys trust nurses who passed June exam - SWS poll

Despite the controversies generated, a majority of Filipinos still trust the nursing graduates who passed the leakage-tainted June 2006 licensure exam.

This was based on the results of a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), showing most .....

Continue reading on :
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/31404/Most-Pinoys-trust-nurses-who-passed-June-exam---SWS-poll

Solon asks PRC chair Rosero to quit

Solon asks PRC chair Rosero to quit

An administration ally at the House of Representatives demanded Thursday the resignation of Leonor Rosero, chair of the Professional Regulations Commission.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, also a physician...........


Continue reading on: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/31729/Solon-asks-PRC-chair-Rosero-to-quit

Topnotcher decries nurse exam retake

The topnotcher in last year's controversial nursing board exams cried foul Sunday over the requirement of retaking parts of the exam before nurses can be issued visas to the US.

Gringo San Diego said he was dismayed that the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) came out with the requirement when the issue should have been closed long ago.


Read on : http://www.gmanews.tv/story/31102/Topnotcher-decries-nurse-exam-retake

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Further information on February 14 announcement: CGFNS denies VisaScreen® certificates for Philippine nurses who passed the compromised June 2006.....

Further information on February 14 announcement: CGFNS denies VisaScreen® certificates for Philippine nurses who passed the compromised June 2006 Philippine Licensure Examination

BY: Barbara L. Nichols, Chief Executive Officer, Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International)

PHILADELPHIA, PA — FEBRUARY 20, 2007 — The VisaScreen® Certification Program is a federally mandated immigration screening program for certain foreign health professionals seeking an occupational visa to the United States. CGFNS is designated by U.S. immigration law to administer this program. Pursuant to its mandate under Section 212(a)(5)(C) of the U.S. Immigration Nationality Act, CGFNS has determined that those Philippine nurses who were sworn in as licensed nurses in the Philippines following their passing the compromised June 2006 licensure examination are not eligible for the issuance of a VisaScreen certificate. CGFNS has further determined that the June 2006 passers are able to overcome this bar and qualify for issuance of a VisaScreen certificate by taking the equivalent of Tests 3 and 5 on a future Philippine nursing exam.

CGFNS acknowledges that those nurses who have been sworn in as registered nurses as a result of their passing the June 2006 licensure exam are validly licensed in the Philippines. CGFNS raises no question of their lawful right to practice nursing in the Philippines. U.S. immigration law, however, requires CGFNS to make a determination as part of the VisaScreen process about several elements of the visa applicants' education, training, license and experience -- including their comparability to U.S. nurses. After reviewing the circumstances concerning the irregularities of the June 2006 nursing licensing exam, CGFNS concluded that the licensure process for the June 2006 licensure exam is not comparable to that required of U.S. nurses, and that U.S. immigration law therefore prohibits issuance of a VisaScreen Certificate to individuals who passed this exam. The VisaScreen certification process is an Immigration process -- not a licensure process -- that must be satisfied to obtain an occupational visa to work in the United States. Passing NCLEX is a licensure requirement to practice nursing in the United States, but it is not a substitute for the federal VisaScreen rule.

Finally, it should be noted that some stories in the Philippine media have confused the VisaScreen Certificate -- issued pursuant to U.S. immigration law -- with the CGFNS Certification Program (CP), which is provided to facilitate the licensure of foreign-educated nurses in the majority of U.S. States. The VisaScreen Certificate is required of all foreign-national nurses who seek occupational visas under U.S. immigration law -- regardless of which State in the United States that they intend to practice.

CGFNS is an internationally recognized authority on credentials evaluation and verification pertaining to the education, registration and licensure of nurses and healthcare professionals worldwide. CGFNS is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization with 30 years of experience in certifying the credentials of over 450,000 internationally educated nurses and other healthcare workers.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

“Unfair Denial of CGFNS VisaScreen Certificate for June 2006 Passers”

“Unfair Denial of CGFNS VisaScreen Certificate for June 2006 Passers”

Philippines ranked number one in the statistics of CGFNS found on their main website as the highest number of applicants for almost their entire services for the past three consecutive years. It outnumbered India, China, Kenya and three other countries. It is reasonable indeed that CGFNS’ eyes are focused on us especially Filipino nurses.

Ever since the scandal of cheating last year’s June Nursing exam, they have been investigating apart from the investigations of local authorities. And now they already decided to compromise the chance of having a VisaScreen Certificate for the June 2006 nursing passers. It is quite bizarre that it seems for the first time in 30 years of CGFNS, it has made a special criterion and requirement for a specific batch of nurses in a specific country. The question is, is it fair enough?

According to the CGFNS/ICHP VisaScreen Handbook, VisaScreen was created in response to Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 which requires specific healthcare professionals born outside of the U.S. to successfully complete a screening program before they can receive either a permanent or temporary occupational visa including Trade NAFTA status.

The requirements for screening includes:
• an assessment of an applicant’s education to ensure that it is comparable to that of a U.S. graduate in the same profession
• verification that all professional healthcare licenses that the applicant ever held are valid and unencumbered
• English language proficiency
• for registered nurses, verification that the nurse has passed either the CGFNS Qualifying Examination, the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN® examination), or its predecessor the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE)

But now it has a new added requirement for June 2006 passers alone stated in their February 14 publication, “Therefore, CGFNS is unable to certify that the licensure (of June 2006 passers) is comparable to a U.S. license... applicable U.S. immigration law will not permit CGFNS to issue the VisaScreen Certificate... to those nurses who obtained Philippine licensure on the basis of passing the June 2006 nursing licensure examination... to overcome this bar and qualify for a VisaScreen Certificate by taking the equivalent of Tests 3 and 5 on a future licensing examination.” (emphasis mine throughout)

How can this ever be? It is clear in their handbook and in Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 that what is being compared to that of a US graduate is the applicants’ education not the license!

Their job in screening is to validate and verify only that the license(s) whether past or current is valid, active and unencumbered not comparing it to a US license.

What are being compared to that of a US graduate are the applicants nursing education either it is has the same program, curriculum, language used, and training. Since nursing education is the most basic assessment criterion for competence.
Additionally they stated, “CGFNS has concluded that the licensure process for those who received their license as a result of passing the compromised June 2006 licensure examination raises significant questions about the accurate assessment of the competencies of many of those individuals.”
Passing the CGFNS qualifying exam or the NCLEX as a requirement of VisaScreen is obviously a very accurate assessment of competence aside from passing the Local Nursing Licensure Exam!
We will not pass CGFNS or NCLEX if we are incompetent as a June 2006 passer as what you are always branding us!
CGFNS is crossing borders and is belittling the decision of the Philippine Supreme court. That issue was already resolved but what you are doing now is uncovering the nightmares of the already traumatized June 2006 nurses.
Philippines has its own laws, the Professional Regulation Commission and Court of Appeals as well as Supreme court already cleared the June 2006 nurses as active and competent nurses. Maybe you should respect it!
Just stick to your original rules and laws and please don’t discriminate anyone especially our batch. CGFNS – please give us a peace of mind!

by GBS , Iriga City
sent by email

Anim na kumuha ng nursing board exam re-take pasado

Anim na kumuha ng nursing board exam re-take pasado

Anim sa 1,117 na nursing board passers ng nakaraang 2006 Nursing Licensure Examinations na kumuha muli ng Tests 3 at 5 ang nakapasa sa re-take ng eksaminasyon.

Continue reading on:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=67484

RP seeking informal talks with US nursing body, says Brion

RP seeking informal talks with US nursing body, says Brion

Quezon City (21 February) -- Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said the Philippine government may open informal talks with the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) to ask for a "flexible implementation" of its policy.

Brion said he met with CGFNS representatives on Sunday and asked them if they were flexible about the retake of Tests 3 and 5 for Filipino nurses who passed the June 2006 board exam and wanted to work in the United States.

"'We can talk,' they said; we talked about some options, which I cannot yet make public," he told reporters.

He said the country could explore the possible flexible implementation of the CGFNS policy during the informal talks.

Brion met with officials of the Professional Regulation Commission on Monday morning to relay the "options" he discussed with the CGFNS representatives.

"I think these options could solve our problem with CGFNS," Brion said.

Brion said he asked the group to make public announcements explaining the VisaScreen process.

He said CGFNS representatives were planning to put up a "public bulletin" to explain the policies of their group and to clarify the "retake" requirement for June 2006 nursing licensure exam passers.

In an earlier radio interview, Brion said he consulted with the Department of Labor and Employment's legal department and found out that the possibility of a formal appeal as ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last week was slim.

"I've asked our lawyers to look into the matter but so far they are not too happy about a formal appeal and say there is not much we can do about a US law," he told radio station dzEC.

Brion acknowledged that the government was still not sure how it could assist the affected June passers in getting jobs in the United States, at least for now.

Malacañang had promised to extend assistance to the examinees in getting work abroad. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

RP seeks ‘flexible’ CGFNS policy

RP seeks ‘flexible’ CGFNS policy

The Philippines’ last-ditch effort to convince the United States’ Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) to accept passers of a scandal-tainted June 2006 licensure exam includes a “flexible implementation” of its policy.

Continue reading on:

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/20/yehey/top_stories/20070220top3.html

Monday, February 19, 2007

US government has no say in nursing exam policy

US government has no say in nursing exam policy

By PIA LEE-BRAGO
The Philippine Star

The United States government is in no position to convince a nursing commission to reverse its ruling against the issuance of Visa Screen certificates to Filipino nurses who passed the June 2006 leakage-tainted licensure examination.


Read on : http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=67256

Sunday, February 18, 2007

TO ALL OLFU JUNE, 2006 BOARD PASSERS

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TAKE THE JUNE,2007 NLE (TEST 3&5 OR ALL), YOU AREWELCOME TO JOIN OUR TCAP INTENSIVEPHASE STARTING FEBRUARY 26, 2007.PLEASE CONTACT GRACE AT 2921124 FORREGISTRATION. OLFU BELIEVES IN YOURCOMPETENCE TO PASS THE EXAMAGAIN...LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. JOHNMARK GONZALES..A JUNE, 2006 BOARDPASSER BUT OPTED TO TAKE THE DECEMBER,2006 NLE...HE DID NOT ONLY PASS THEDECEMBER, 2006 BOARD EXAM...HE BECAMETHE 7TH PLACER!!! RETAKE? KAYANG-KAYAYAN NG OLFU GRADS!!!

- Sir Vasquez's Bulletin Post



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