29,000 pass board exams for nurses

(UPDATE) OVER 29,000 examinees passed this year's Nursing Licensure Examinations (NLE), the Professional Regulation Commission's (PRC) Board of Nursing announced on Friday.The PRC said 29,349 out of 34,534 examinees passed the NLE for an 84.99 percent passing rate.The top five examinees are:– Chariemae Nuñez Cañazares – Cebu Normal University (CNU) (92.60 percent)– Arianne Marie Baltero Estrella – University of the Philippines-Manila (UP Manila) (92.20 percent)– Alexandra Dalura Yamson – Xavier University (92 percent)– Kyle Andrea Divino Bencalo – Chinese General Hospital Colleges; Marc Emmanuel Arepal Estillore – CNU; Trisha Nicole Navarro Oller – Saint Louis University; Hannah Gisella Tolentino Roman – Bataan State University Main Campus (91.80 percent)– Jaymi Loise Basilla Abellana - CNU; Christian Eley Cortez Bismonte – Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina; Ma. Rochelle Versoza Candido – Samar State University; Edline Aubrey Pineda Sarmiento – UP Manila (91.60 percent).Several examinees shared the 6th to 10th places. Seven examinees were bunched together in 6th, eight in 7th, 15 in 8th, 29 in 9th, and 33 in 10th.The PRC said the test results of nine examinees were withheld pending final determination of their liabilities under the rules and regulations governing licensure examinations.The NLE was conducted on Nov. 9 and 10 in testing centers across the country.In a related development, a retired Filipina nurse, Col. Maria Victoria Juan, won the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award for 2024.Juan received the award at a ceremony in Bengaluru, India, on Thursday.Juan, who worked as a consultant in the Philippine Army, was among 10 nominees that included nurses from the United States, Kenya, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, India, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. She bested 78,000 nurses from 203 countries worldwide.In her acceptance speech, Juan told her fellow finalists that their work is a "testament of the power of compassion and commitment in nursing.""As a military nurse from the Philippines, my journey has been defined by steadfast commitment to service, whether caring in combat zones, disaster-stricken areas, or underserved communities, and championing advocates on every platform to creative positive change," she said."This recognition reflects not just my efforts but also the courage and honor of the soldiers. I proudly served alongside the resilience of the Filipino people that inspires me daily. It is also a tribute to the nurses I represent: Tireless, selfless, and extremely courageous individuals in the military and even the civilian responders, who put themselves into harm's way to save lives and to protect others," Juan said.Juan received a cash prize of $250,000.Aster Guardians said Juan's "nursing leadership in the Armed Forces of the Philippines is marked by groundbreaking initiatives like spearheading the first aeromedical evacuation system."During the Covid-19 pandemic, she organized a mega swabbing center and mobilized troops to conduct nearly 500,000 tests, significantly contributing to virus control."Her unwavering dedication to public service and disaster response makes her a leader among nurses, profoundly impacting health care delivery in her country."Juan was also cited for her leadership in environmental nursing, having used "vetiver grass technology to address soil erosion and water pollution at the Philippines Army Headquarters. Projects like the pontoon water billboard in Mandaue City and the Tanay, Rizal river slope stabilization benefited from this initiative."The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) congratulated Juan for winning the award. "This prestigious recognition is a testament to her extraordinary dedication, leadership, and commitment to the nursing profession," the PNA said on Friday.The Philippine Army said Juan, who previously served as Army chief nurse from 2019 to 2024, retired from the service after 33 years.Two other Filipino expats who were nominated for the award: Philippine Nurses Association of New York President Laarni Florencio and UAE-based Filipino nurse Nelson Bautista."Unfortunately, I didn't bring home the top prize, but I hope I still made you all proud as a Top 10 Finalist for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. I am truly grateful for this incredible opportunity to inspire people around the world. Representing the UAE and the Filipino community on a global stage has been an immense honor and a life-changing experience," Bautista wrote on Facebook.