If enacted into law, this will address the many problems and concerns of nurses in the Philippines. Aside from increasing the salary of nurses, it will also end the exploitation masquerading as Volunteer Nurse Program.
Here are some of the significant provisions of the Comprehensive Nursing Act of 2016:
- P24,887 entry-level monthly salary for nurses in both public and private hospitals, with yearly salary increase,
- The government will now be mandated to assign Nurses for every Barangay, every school, and every workplace,
- Hospitals will be required to institute safer Nurse-to-patient ratios,
- False trainings, contractual job and volunteer nurse program will be illegal, and the punishment will now be more serious,
- Free hospitalization for nurses and their dependents,
- Free trainings and Scholarship grants for nurses with budget allotted from PCSO and PAGCOR
- Provisions for Advanced Practice Nursing