: NEWS, NURSES LICENSURE EXAM

How new BON may affect the NLE

structure

Radio anchor and businessman Carl Balita explains how the new Board of Nursing (BON) may affect
the Nurses Licensure Exam (NLE) structure.

Although there's no official confirmation from the Professional Regulation Commission yet, we've
received information that the new set of the seven-member BON is composed of the following:

Chairperson:
Carmencita M. Abaquin (retained)
Members:
Perla G. Po (retained)
Florence C. Cawaon, EdD, RN
Gloria B. Arcos, PhD, RN
Carmelita C. Divinagracia, EdD
Dr. Glenda S. Arquiza
Carfredda Dumlao, PhD, RN
They reportedly took oath last Tuesday, June 10.

Here's how the background of these experts would affect the NLE:
New BON? Now, what? How will an aspiring RN prepare?
By Dr Carl Balita

The NLE is just one of the many functions and legal mandates of the BON but such function
determines the worthiness of an aspiring person for the privilege of professional nursing.

What happens now that 5 new members of BON have taken their oath of office? The NLE testbank
will be deleted as each BON inputs new 500 items each as their contributiin to the new testbank.
There will be 3500 items in the test bank. (I am not sure if the test bank entry of Dr Abaquin and Dr
Po are retained as they were also re-appointed. I was told may be they will have to do the same as
the others.)

They will be guided by the NEW test framework (National Nursing Core Competency Standards of
2012) but will certainly be influenced by their clinical/career specializations. As BON Marco Sto
Tomas was proponent of IMCI in his presidency of the APSOM (principals of midiwifery), NP2 was
heavy on IMCI; while BON Leony Freire was Chief Nurse of OR of PGH, NP3 was heavy on
Perioperative Nursing. These are examples of how a BON background could matter. Dr Abaquin was
proponent of the Oncological Nurses Association of the Phils, and expect more of her NP4 killer
questions. Mam Pearl Po who was identifiable with NP1 is known to be an expert in Psychiatric
Nursing and may surprise us with a new NP5 much different from that of Mam Betty Merrit. The BON
follows a certain Table of Specification (TOS) in the creation of these test items, they will also be "re-
trained" or "oriented" (as many of them are already education experts and are competent on this) on
using HOTS questions (higher order thinking) which mostly are situational and application. The BON
does not choose particular items as the computerized extraction of 100 questions, from the initial
500 each, removes human intervention in the selection of test items. The BON never gets to see
these items before they are administered by the PRC. This is why the BON members are in
"quarantine" days prior to the NLE. They get to see the board questions only after it has been
administered. Then they make their collegial answers to the questions.

There is a notice-able difficulty in any first board exam given by any new board. This is not because
they will make difficult items but because they render examinees "blind" of their individual styles and
their collective collaboration. For now, they are the only ones who may know their individual test
assignment but there are clues to their specialty and background. There is also an "excited" tendency
for anyone to do things in its best level, so the level of the test difficulty is not known, even to
themselves as only the real NLE can give them that insight.

Expect therefore a different-looking NLE this November 2014 NLE.

For those who will take the November NLE, The solution is simple: review with a review center who
has the grasp of these honorable BON. The review center should be well grounded in the nursing
circle so they have resources to have a thorough grasp of these experts. It is also worthwhile to be
with a review center with credibility of covering ALL the essentials of ALL the concepts. Those who
will not make it in the May NLE, will have to re-set their preparations for the next try. (forgive me for
saying this as I am just being realistic).

CBRC has long prepared for this NLE, and has long known these honorable women who shall soon
take hold of what could be your privilege as a professional. CBRC is now in 32 branches in the
Philippines and in UAE and KSA as well. Please see www.carlbalita.com for more information.
- See more at: http://www.nleresults.com/2014/06/how-new-bon-may-affect-nle-
structure.html#sthash.Tf1MHdmf.dpuf