I read the PDI article “300 nursing graduates hired to fill nurse gap, says Palace advisory council” (02/23/2024) while in a meeting at the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) Headquarters in Manila. I was with more than 20 nursing leaders who were convened by PNA to discuss the many issues faced by nurses in the Philippines. One of which is the “shortage” of nurses in health facilities.

We are producing an adequate number of nurses who can serve our people both in hospitals and communities. This then begs us to ask the question – why are there unfilled positions in government even when the salary has been increasing in recent years? The answer is obvious and we have been parroting the same for decades now. 

In my letter to the editor titled “Honor nurses with action, not just words” (08/23/23), I reminded President Marcos of his promise in 2022 to uplift the status and work environment of nurses. This seemingly broken promise is further irked by this new band aid solution of hiring unlicensed nurses to fill the nursing gap. This is a straight slap in the face of registered nurses. It does little to boost the morale of our nurses who tirelessly choose to work in dire conditions while fulfilling their mission to aid the sick and serve all those in need.

Instead of addressing the root causes of nurse migration, the government chose to turn a blind eye and focus on short-term solutions that do not promote nurse retention and professional growth. Instead of addressing labor issues to entice nurses to go back to their professional practice, the government vehemently disregarded our plea to support improvement in the work environment and closure of the salary gap between nurses working in public and private health facilities.

Greater investment should be placed on long-term solutions that will not only encourage nurses to stay in the Philippines but also practice their profession in health facilities, whether private or public. Without a comprehensive strategy to resolve the root causes of these systemic issues, this new effort – hiring unlicensed nurses – will be rendered ineffective in the long run.