The DOLE Region XI conducted the Policy Harmonization and Planning Workshop on the Project EntrepreNurse at the Apo View Hotel, Camus St., Davao City on January 20-21, 2010.  This is in collaboration with BON-PRC, DOH, PNA, UCPN, OHNAP, government and other non-government agencies.  Said activity aims to achieve public health objectives at the same time addresses unemployment problem of licensed nurses in the country.  It is dubbed as an initiative to save lives, create jobs and add value to the nurse profession.

The project is a brainchild of the Department of Labor and Employment through the initiative of Director Jalilo O. Dela Torre, the Regional Director of the DOLE-Region XI.  It hopes to bring in the support of different stakeholders to widen the support and achieve success and sustainability of the project.

The activity was graced by the Under Secretary Carmelita Pineda, Governor Douglas Cagas of Davao Oriental Province and the Heads of partner agencies of the project. In his in the opening message, Gov. Douglas RA Cagas, expresses his full support to the said DOLE initiated project.

During the message of Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario who was delivered by Mr. Rufo Peligro, the Provincial Administrator, he expresses that EntrepreNurse is worth suporting since it does not only adress employment of the nurses but it also achieve public health goals specifically in the rural areas.

Dr. Josefina Tuazon of University of the Philippines College of Nursing in her topic, “Nurse Entrepreneurship and the Scope of Nursing Practice”, she emphasizes about the shortage of nursing services particularly in the needy areas, rural areas.  She believes that the public needs for nursing services at the same time create a testing alternative model for the nurses to be remunerated outside thier traditional mode of employment .  Dr. Tuazon also suggests to practice within the scope of nursing profession covered with the nursing law.

Dr. Tuazon emphasizes that nursing is not for everyone.  Hence, a conduct of health care asessment is necessary for the success of the project, including the fee structure services.

The Philippines is producing more and better human resources for health, compared to most Asian countries, said Dr. Kenneth Ronquillo of DOH.  In his Topic,  “Locating Project Entreprenurse in the formula One Framework and the MDG Goals”, He, emphasizes that  human resources for health are enormous but unevenly distributed in the country.  Philippines also leads in exporting nurses to the world and second major exporter of physicians,  but unfortunately, it has a high unemployment rate for new nurses resulting to a high outward migration abroad of trained nurses he proceeds.

He also outlines the possible entrepreneurship and job options for medical practitioners:

ACADEMIC SECTOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR JOB OPTIONS – Teachers/ professors,Clinical instructors for nurses, Academic research asistants,Field coordinators).

HEALTH SECTOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR  JOB OPTIONS -Part time RHU / hospital nurses, ,Manage/ operate birthing centers, Manage/ operate  care homes for elderly, differently-abled persons and other patients needing chronic care.

HEALTH SECTOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR  JOB OPTIONS – Part time or fulltime private nurses (in the homes of patients who can afford to pay), Medical Representative for drug stores/companies, Medical Research Consultants/Assistants,Technical Assistance Consultants/Providers.

BUSINESS SECTOR  OPPORTUNITIES OR JOB OPTIONS – Transcription services (international) and Engage in other non-nursing related enterprise.

Dr. Edgardo Sandig, a Senior Manager of Private Sector Mobilization for Family Health (PRISM 2) expresses that thier organization will assist DOH, DOLE and LGUs in engaging and mobilizing private sector resources in delivering family planning,  maternal and child health (FP-MCH) services and product.  In order to increase and sustain private sector in providing  quality FP-MCH, he emphasizes the important objectives of their projects like  increaseing the utilization of quality FP-MCH in and from private sector; and improving the policy environment for private sector who provides the services and products.

PRISM 2 proposes to work with DOLE as follow through with its previous agreement with DOH to jointly assist employers in promoting the provision of FP-MCH services at workplaces under the jurisdiction of the DOLE. This collaboration between DOH and DOLE will involve activities at the regional levels of these two agencies.

The well- attended launching activity of the Project EntrepreNurse, promises an introduction of the new dimension in attaining health goals while creating jobs to the nurses.  The commitment from the different  institutions to support the project  propels the dynamism of the discussion during the series of workshops.  It opens some areas that enhances the project processes and components.

For details, please visit Project EntrepreNurse website.