Nursing Exam In The Philippines: Trends And Stats

While there are over a hundred websites out there that post exam for nursing results in the Philippines, I took interest in looking at the nursing exam trends over the last 5 examination periods, and I would like to share my views and analysis about their statistics. 

Based on the graph above, we could readily see the steady, linear downtrend in the number of NLE test takers. Even though the nursing board exam is still one of the biggest licensure exams in the country (it used to be the biggest, but the current number of test takers are now similar to those who took the licensure exam for teachers or LET), the columns indicate the steady decline of test takers. If you’re asking: “How did it happen that there seems to be less and less people taking the exam?” As far as I know, there are 3 interrelated factors behind this:

1.       Decreasing number of graduates. A significant decrease of nursing graduates resulted from stricter measures by the Professional Regulations Commission on the implementation of nursing programs throughout the country. Nursing schools are being pressed further to produce a significant percentage of nursing exam board passers, and failure to do this would result in immediate closure. As a result, nursing programs are now set on higher instructional and evaluative standards, and it’s getting much tougher to get a nursing degree.

2.       Decreasing number enrollees. Most people are still affixed to the idea that the only jobs available for nurses are hospital and clinical jobs, and because there are limited opportunities in hospitals for hundreds of thousands of nurses, many high school graduates are becoming discouraged to pursue a career that would include them on the long list of unemployed professionals. In addition, the Professional Regulations Commission made a public statement years ago that advised college entrants to not pursue nursing, and this has also contributed to the decline of enrollees nationwide.

3.       Increasing closure of nursing schools. Another contributing factor to the decrease of nursing exam takers is the increasing number of nursing schools closing down. It’s a domino effect – less enrollees lead to less graduates, and this leads to lesser chances of reaching the passing standard for these schools. Also, schools tend to downsize its number of nursing instructors, thus the quality of education is significantly affected. Some schools nowadays even operate with only 2-3 full-time faculty members, and even the Dean is now forced to handle clinical classes just to keep the ball rolling.

Although the almost proportional decrease of nursing exam board passers is noticeable in the graph, what’s more important to note here is the consistently low number of test passers over the last 5 board exams. This has always been the question: “How come the percentage of those passing the exam is always less than 50% of the total number of test takers?” Having observed numerous nursing schools and programs, I believe that there are 2 major reasons why the overall nursing passing rate is consistently low:

1.       Lack of solid instruction. It’s sad to know, but it’s true for most nursing schools, and while the PRC guidelines provide a workable plan for solid nursing instruction, the problem is with the implementation. Deans and instructors should work proactively and cooperatively to develop good quality instruction by establishing relevant syllabi, definite program objectives, meaningful learning experiences and instructional methods, and proper evaluative methods.

2.       Lack of exam preparation. I’m not here to criticize independent nursing reviewers and review groups, but it is an undeniable fact that the big reason they sprouted like mushrooms is because of lack of nursing exam preparation, and I believe that its prime responsibility lies with nursing schools. In fact it’s only right to commend these nursing reviewers, and you could only imagine if their service is complemented with solid instruction from a nursing school. Although attending a nursing review might increase one’s chances of passing the NLE, let me advise that solid instruction is the essential factor, and students should rely more to it.

Nursing is a dynamic field that continually changes with the times, and I personally disagree that people should be discouraged to pursue it. For me, it is false to think that the overall demand for this profession is dwindling – only the clinical work settings are. Schools of nursing should readily and appropriately change with the shift in nursing fields, and implement programs that answer the current demands of the health industry. If you want more info about other nursing careers other than hospital work, click here.

Furthermore, quality nursing education is needed to break the cycle of poor nursing exam performance, and nursing institutions should always strive for resolute, excellent education.