Project NARS

Project NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service), Philippines
The healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines reflects a disproportionate distribution of health workers and services in the country, where often the poorest communities have the least access to healthcare services. Global demand for professional healthcare workers has put pressure on the Philippines healthcare infrastructure, which has seen an exodus of nursing skills. The resulting general shortage of experienced and paid professional hospital care workers means that the poorest communities are even more severely impacted. Project NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service), funded by GSK, is a structured competency development programme designed to address these areas of neglect, by training and mobilising 10,000 unemployed registered nurses to the 1,000 poorest municipalities in the country and thereby improve the clinical and healthcare service overall. The nurses are trained in first line diagnosis in primary health, school nutrition and maternal health programs. They also implement immunisation programmes for children and their mothers as well as general community health surveillance. The nurses are deployed at an average of 5 per town in the 1,000 poorest municipalities. They undertake a six-month tour of duty, following which another batch is deployed for
the second half of the year. This practice of rotation ensures regular deployment opportunities for nurses in rural areas and underserved communities. PHASE (Personal Hygiene and Sanitation Education) is also being introduced in the Philippines where it is being integrated into the Fit for School programme, a comprehensive healthcare package for schoolchildren incorporating elements of dental hygiene, hand washing and deworming. The NARS project builds upon other GSK CSR activities in the Philippines, particularly GSKs LF Elimination programme and the Pinoy Health Pass, whereby GSK enrols families for health insurance to improve their ability to access healthcare, as well as teaching basic health and sanitation practices under the Family Health & Wellness initiative. NARS also has the potential to offer volunteer opportunities for GSK employees in adopted communities in areas such as education, community development and health promotion activities.
Understanding DoLEs NARS Program
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What its not a springboard to immediate deployment as nurses overseas. Foreign hospitals usually look for more qualifications (specialization, academic records, actual work experience and where, etc) than just a six months OJT for the nurses they hire. BUT- for fresh graduates and non-practicing nurses, this is a good stepping stone in your career as well as a feel-good way of helping your community, at least for 6 months. Note however, that the slots are few and spread
throughout the country; competition will be stiff. But hey, if youve got time, a hometown that you love, and a nursing diploma in your hands, why not apply? What it is on-the-job training cum community service program where successful applicants will be paid P8,000 in allowances (hopefully to be matched by the corresponding LGU with another P2,000). To reduce costs, the nurses under NARS Program should be locals meaning, from the communities they would serve, rather than city folks being assigned to rural nursing stations where they will be complete strangers. Press release issued by the DoLE on the NARS Program follows Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said interested nurses may file their application at the nearest DOLE regional office, or online at http//www.nars.dole.gov.ph where application forms can be downloaded. Roque said the DOLE would entertain applications and conduct selection of nurses for deployment to rural areas until March 22, 2009, adding an initial 5,000 nurse-trainees would be selected for deployment beginning April 1, 2009. While on training, the nurses would receive a minimum stipend/allowance of P8,000.00 per month. The DOLE Chief said that unemployed registered nurses who are physically and mentally fit and willing to serve in their hometowns and who meet the following requirements may qualify for the training cum employment under NARS: a) with valid nurse license issued by the PRC, b) not over 35 years old, c) resident of the identified municipalities; d) no nursing-related practice for 13 years. He also said that another batch of 5,000 nurse-trainees would be recruited between Aug. 15Sept. 30, 2009. Deployment of the second batch to rural areas would commence on Oct. 1, 2009. NARS, which stands for Nurses Assigned in Rural Service, is a training-cum employment scheme wherein the hired nurses would be deployed to their hometowns in rural areas to undergo six-month training in providing public health services and in performing clinical functions under the guidance of participating nearby hospitals and other medical facilities. Launched by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the Multi-Sectoral Summit on Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis held recently in Malacanan Palace, the NARS program is a collaborative undertaking of the DOLE, the Department of Health (DOH), and the Professional Regulations Commissions Board of Nursing (PRC-BON). source: Information and Publication Service

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Project NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service), Philippines

Understanding DoLEs NARS Program

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