3rd Batch of NARS To Be Deployed Next Month

3rd batch of NARS to be dispatched soon
By Sarwell Q. Meniano (leytesamardaily.net)

TACLOBAN CITY — The government will deploy next month the third batch of nurses to render six months service in 15 nutritionally-depressed municipalities of Northern Samar and Samar .
Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) regional Forter G. Puguon said that the implementation of Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS) in selected areas will be extended considering the lack of nurses serving in depressed towns and high demand for health services.
Municipalities that are covered by Project NARS batch 3 are Lope De Vega, Mapanas, Las Navas, Mondragon, Pambujan, Palapag, Gamay Laoang, and Lavezares in Northern Samar; San Jose de Buan, Motiong, Tarangnan, Gandara, Sto. Niño, Sta. Margarita, Tagapul-an and San Jorge in Samar.

Puguon said that with five nurses assigned in every town, the total number of trainees will be 75 for the third batch. Priorities are those who were not hired during the first two batches.

“We have noticed during the deployment of the first two batches of nurses that there’s lack of health service providers in these municipalities. The number is now limited considering funding constraints,” the official said.
Hired nurses are tasked to initiate primary health, school nutrition, maternal health programs, first line diagnosis; inform about community water sanitation practices and also do health surveillance; and immunize children and mothers.

The NARS program was launched last year as the country felt the impact of global financial crisis, which reduces the demand labor force.
The training program will cover both the clinical and public health functions. Nurse trainees will rotate in their assigned hospital or rural unit for a period of three months. At the end of the third month, nurses who have completed their rotation in the hospital will be re-assigned to a rural unit and vice-versa.

“The project aims to address the glut in inexperienced nurses, promote health of the people and bring the government closer to them. The idea is to mobilize nurses in their hometowns due to low local and overseas demand for the services of inexperienced nurses. They are also helping their own people,” Puguon explained.

While on training, nurses will be given an allowance of P8,000 per month. This translates to about P366,00 per day for a 40 hours training every week.
“The regional office shall select qualified trainees based on criteria we used during the first two batches,” Puguon added.

A Certificate of Completion/Competency shall be issued jointly by the DOLE, Department of Health and Professional Regulation Commission after an assessment of the gained competencies of nurse trainees.

Article source: leytesamardaily.net