Archive for 2017

How to Request for a Certificate of Good Standing from Saudi Council (SCFHS)

10:29:00 PM 316 Comments A+ a-

For Ex-Saudi nurses who are currently applying for registration in other countries (like Qatar, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, UK, and more), you would most likely be asked for a Certificate of Good Standing. This is usually submitted as a proof that you have a clean track record while working as a nurse in KSA.

If you are still in Saudi Arabia, you can ask this from the hospital you are working. Most hospitals usually process this for free before your final exit. However, if your company does not process this or you are already outside Saudi Arabia, you can go to the SCFHS website to request for your Certificate of Good Standing (COGS).

Step 1: On the SCFHS website, go to E-Services > Additional E-Services List > Registration. Then click, Request a certificate of good standing.
Certificate of Good Standing

Step 2:  You will then be asked for your Registration Number (printed on your Saudi License). When you type your registration number, make sure that you do not include the hyphen (-) on your registration number. For instance, instead of 15-J-M-0063790, type it as 15JM0063790.
Certificate of Good Standing

Step 3: Afterwards click Next, Under Check Information, you will now see your name and validation date (when your license will expire). Below that, you will need to put your email address (where the COGS will be sent) and your mobile number (must be a Saudi mobile number). If you do not have one, you can ask for the mobile number of a friend in Saudi who will make the payment for you.

Step 4: Under Required Service, select 'Good Standing' then click 'Add Service'. After that click Next.
Certificate of Good Standing

Step 5: You will now see the total price of the Good Standing Certificate which costs 300 SR and under that is the Account Number which will be needed in paying for your certificate.
Certificate of Good Standing
Step 6: At this point, you can ask a friend or relative in Saudi Arabia to pay this in any ATM machines thru SADAD payments. Just choose Saudi Council for Health Specialties (SCFHS) as the biller (code is 129), then enter the Account Number given to you upon requesting the COGS.

Once the payment has been made, your Certificate of Good Standing (in PDF) will be emailed to you within the day.

And you're done! You can just print the Certificate if you need a hard copy.

Hope this post helped you. God bless!

Complete Guide on NMC Full Application and Assessment (with additional info for Ex-Saudi Filipino Nurses)

10:16:00 PM 206 Comments A+ a-

The next step after passing the CBT would be the Full Application and Assessment Stage which requires you to upload scanned documents and complete barcoded forms that needs to be mailed to NMC.

But first, you have to wait for the confirmation email of NMC which will be sent on your email address. You will usually receive the email the day after your exam, but for some candidates it reaches until 2-3 days. If you do not receive the email on the third day, you can email NMC at overseas.enquiries@nmc-uk.org or call them at +44 020 7333 6600.

Upon receiving the confirmation email, you may now log-in on the NMC Registration website to pay for the Application fee that costs 140 British Pounds (which is almost 9 Thousand Pesos). After payment, NMC will then send you an email telling you that they already received the application fee.

Before you start uploading anything, please make sure you have all the documentary evidences you need and download all the barcoded forms on each section.

A. DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCES (these will be uploaded on your NMC portal)

 I. PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION
  • Passport
  • NSO Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate (if you are married)
  • Change of Deed/Deed Poll Certificates (if you changed your name)
II. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
  • Qualification Certificate - Diploma (BS Nursing)
III. POST QUALIFICATION REGISTRATION
  • Registration Certificate - PRC Board Certificate
  • Police Certificate - NBI Clearance (must be issued within the last 3 months)
FOR EX-SAUDI NURSES:
  • Registration Certificate - SCFHS Professional Accreditation Certificate + Official Translation + Declaration of Translation
  • Police Certificate - Saudi Police Clearance 
If you do not have a Saudi Police Clearance and it is impossible for you to acquire one, write first a personal statement declaring that it would be hard for you to get a Police Clearance since you are already outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and you do not have any representative or known relatives there. After making a personal statement, notarize this document. Afterwards, get an official translation of your Exit Stamp or Exit Visa with a Declaration of Translation from the translator. In summary, you need Notarized Personal Statement + Exit Stamp/Visa + Official Translation + Declaration of Translation.

REMINDERS:
  • Please make sure that all the scanned documents are in PDF format. Also, the size for each file must be less than 25MB.
  • Click 'Save and Exit' upon uploading documents on each category. Errors usually appear when you try to Save or Submit all documents at once.
  • If you uploaded a wrong document and re-uploaded a new one, there's a possibility that the previous document will still be reflected on your portal. To avoid confusion, just call or email NMC to clarify which document they see on the system.

B. FORMS TO BE MAILED TO NMC

I. FORM TO ACCOMPANY TRANSCRIPT OF TRAINING
This needs to be completed by the university you graduated from. In my case, I went to the College of Nursing and they already know what to do. They usually attach ORIGINAL Transcript of Records, breakdown of Theoretical and Clinical training hours, and Related Learning Experience Certificate.

 *Some Colleges/University offer to send it directly to NMC, but I chose to send it myself to lessen the mailing expenses.

II. REGISTRATION AUTHORITY VERIFICATION FORM
Bring the form to a PRC branch near your location and ask for a State Board Verification. The fee is only 75 Pesos plus 25 Pesos for the stamp and mailing envelope which amounts to 100 Pesos all in all. You can also tell PRC that you will be sending the form to avoid paying a separate courier fee.

 FOR EX-SAUDI NURSES:
If you do not have someone who could go to a Saudi Council Office for you, you can send NMC a blank RAV form with a Personal Statement why it can't be completed and a copy of your Certificate of Good Standing (which must be issued within the last 3 months).
How to Get a Good Standing Certificate in Saudi Council.

 III. EMPLOYER REFERENCE FORM 1 AND 2
These forms must be completed by a Senior Nurse or a Doctor who supervised you for at least a year. If you have several work experiences, choose the two most recent employment. But it is also fine if you get references from only one hospital (provided that it is your most recent employment).

FOR EX-SAUDI NURSES:
Ask a friend back in Saudi to print the Employer Reference Form. Afterwards, send them a picture of a filled out form for them to copy what they should write. Please be mindful of the County/State in your Reference Form. This should be the Province/Region, for example, Jeddah City is under Makkah Province. You can check your Professional Accreditation Certificate to see what SCFHS provincial branch is stamped on it. Then, search and verify it online if it is the province or region of your city.

 After completing the forms, ask someone to send it back home so that you will not pay for a separate courier fee from Saudi to NMC.

IV. DECLARATION OF GOOD HEALTH
This must be completed by a Registered Medical Practitioner who had examined you in the last six months or by the Occupational Health Department Representative in your current employment. This must be also issued within the last 3 months.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:
  • Make sure that all the information written on the forms is the same with the information typed on your portal (dates, numbers, names, job titles, etc.).
  • If you only have the the documents for the portal but have not completed the forms yet, I recommend that you just save it first. Don't click 'Submit' yet since your application will not be placed in the assessment queue until they receive all the barcoded forms.
  • If you have completed all forms, you can now click 'Submit'. After submitting, you will receive an email stating that your application was successfully submitted and your portal will now be 'Read Only'.

  • I recommend availing the service of DHL Express. It only took them 3 days to send my documents.
  • Once NMC updates your portal that they have received your documents, that means you are already in the assessment queue (start of Day 1).
  • According to NMC, assessment lasts from 40 to 70 working days.
At this point the waiting game starts. This moment, I would say, can make you both anxious and excited. I, personally, am just so happy and thankful to God that I already reached this stage. I know that He is in control of everything down to the little details of my application.

I sometimes think about my incomplete Saudi documents and somehow be bothered by it, but when I think about the Lord, I am reminded of the great things He has done in my life. He is a God that can make the impossible, possible. So I put my trust in Him and just wait for His perfect timing. :)

For those who are still processing their requirements for this stage, I pray that God will make a way for your documents to be processed faster. For those who are already waiting for their Decision Letter, I pray that God will move upon the assessment queue and make the waiting time shorter. :)

I hope this post helped you somehow in your application journey. I will be updating this when I receive my DL. God bless!

 UPDATE (JANUARY 2018): 

Hi Guys! Sorry for the late update. Was so busy last year that I haven't had the chance to update or post anything on this site. For those who were asking, Yes, I am already in the UK and by the grace of God I passed the OSCE this month. I am finally a UKRN now. Weeee!

Anyways,  regarding my DL, I received an email last August 2017 with a request for additional information about my employment history. I just uploaded my CV under additional ID and half an hour later, I already received my DL. That was 36 working days after my queue date.

A lot had happened during my season of waiting, before my papers entered the assessment queue, one of my documents were missing. It took them 2 weeks to find it. Our flight was also delayed because of some issues with the agencies. Then, the anxiety in taking the OSCE (yung feeling na walang katapusan yung exam, yung bakit kelangan mo pang kumuha nang practical exam eh napasa mo nman yung computerized exam, yung hindi pa ba sapat lahat? haha). But God is so faithful in His promises and He answered all my prayers.

I cannot really share information about my exam because I signed a disclosure form and there are nurses who were revoked of their PINs because of sharing information. However, what I can advice for those who will be taking the OSCE, is to be confident while speaking, to make sure that you are communicating clearly and to always prioritize patient's safety. Most importantly, commit everything to the Lord. In Jeremiah 17:7, God said "But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me." So, just trust in His promises! God bless you future UKRNs!

Complete Guide on Overseas NMC Registration for Filipino Nurses (IELTS and CBT)

11:20:00 PM 194 Comments A+ a-

According to the National Health Services of United Kingdom, they are experiencing shortage of nurses with not enough new recruits to fill the gap. This is why the UK considered bringing in nurses from other countries to address the increasing demand of nursing services in their country. Due to the multitude of nurses in the Philippines and the reputation we have as competent, efficient, compassionate and extra caring nurses, our country became the target of recruitment drives by NHS Trusts and private care homes.

So to help my fellow aspiring UKRNs, I wrote this blog post to give you a step by step guide on how to go about the application process of NMC Overseas Registration.
how to apply for UK

The Nursing and Midwifery Council is the regulating body of nurses and midwives in the UK. They have set strict standards for nurses which is why before you can register you must make sure you have these requirements:
  • Education Requirement (at least 10 years school education before starting Nursing Program)
  • Practice Requirement (at least 1 year post-registration clinical experience)
  • Language Requirement (IELTS band score of at least 7 in each area) 
NOTE: If you don't have an employer yet (which is a specific NHS Trust), I recommend you take the IELTS first and do the job interview after. This gives you freedom to work on your own timeline since some employers tend to pressure candidates into taking the IELTS right away to meet their target dates. Also, employers will be more enthusiastic in hiring you because you already have an IELTS certificate.

I. Aquiring your IELTS Certificate

According to NMC, "Applicants must be able to show that they can communicate clearly and effectively in English. They must complete the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and achieve a minimum score of at least seven in all areas."

Last 2016, they modified the rules in which candidates may use two IELTS test results to meet the requirements, provided that the scores don't fall under 6.5 in any categories. Also, the two test sittings must have a gap of only six months or less.

For instance, if you took the IELTS last December 2016 with a result of 7 in Listening, 6.5 in Reading, 6.5 in Writing, and 7 in Speaking, your second take should be on or before June 2017 and it must have a result of 7 in both Reading and Writing to be able to use both test results.
ielts for UK

If by any chance your second take is still 6.5 in Reading or Writing, you cannot combine both. If you were able to reach the band score of 7 in both Reading and Writing but your scores in Listening and Speaking are below 6.5, then you still cannot use both results.

There are news of NMC evaluating the minimum score requirement because most of the foreign nurses cannot achieve the minimum band scores, but they have not confirm any changes yet.

If you have taken the IELTS and achieved the required band scores, you are now ready to proceed to the next step. Although, you must first wait for your IELTS Test Report Form to arrive via mail because you will need the TRF number for verification purposes.

II. Eligibility

The next step would be the Eligibility stage. All nurses trained outside Europe (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) needs to register in the Overseas Registration Applications.

1. To begin the process, first, create an account in NMC and activate it by clicking the link they will send you on your email address. (Reminder: Do not create multiple accounts because this will create problems during your application.)

NMC account

2. After creating your account, log-in and fill out the Personal Information and Eligibility Tabs (This is where you will put the IELTS TRF code).

NMC overseas application

NMC overseas application

3. After verifying your eligibility, NMC will send you an email (usually within 24 hrs) indicating you have passed the eligibility stage of registration. This will also be reflected on your NMC account.

NMC overseas application

4. At this point, you will just have to wait for Pearson Vue to email your Authorisation To Test (ATT) and your Pearson Vue Web Account Confirmation which contains your username and temporary password. (Reminder: You do not need to create an account on Pearson Vue)

NMC overseas registration

NMC overseas registration

You are now ready for Step 3!

III. How to schedule your NMC-CBT (Test of Competence - Part I)

1. After receiving your web account details from Pearson Vue. Go to the Pearson Vue website. Under 'For Test Takers' menu, click 'Schedule an exam'.

nmc overseas registration

2. Type 'NMC' on the input box and wait for 'Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)' to appear then click it or you can click here.

nmc overseas registration

3. Once you are in the NMC page, read the overview of registration process and instructions on how to book the exam. Afterwards, go to the sign in page and enter your username and temporary password. You will then be asked to change the password and create security questions.

nmc overseas registration

4. Upon logging in, click your Pre-approved Exam. In most cases, it would be RN1: Registered Nurse - Adult.

nmc overseas registration

5. You will then be asked to choose for a testing center, after which, the test date. Pearson Vue do not conduct exams during weekends and holidays. Also, Manila test centers have 6 test time slots while the Cebu test center has only 2 time slots (morning and afternoon).

nmc overseas registration

6. After reviewing the Test Appointment and Location, you can now checkout and pay the exam. The current price of CBT as of 2017 is 130 British Pounds (which is about 8 Thousand Pesos). After payment, you will also receive the appointment details on your email.

nmc overseas registration

STUDY REFERENCES FOR CBT:

1. The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures - 9th Edition
- You don't need to memorize everything in this book. Just read and understand then answer the multiple choice questions in their website. (Click here)

2. The Code for nurses and midwives (NMC)
- Read this several times if you can and digest every principles by heart.

3. NMC Nursing Blueprints
Domain 1: Professional values
Domain 2: Communication and interpersonal skills
Domain 3: Nursing practice and decision-making
Domain 4: Leadership, management and team working
Adult nursing: Field specific competencies
- Honestly, I did not read the table. hehe. I just clicked the recommended readings at the end of each PDF.

4. The NMC website has a lot of resources in which you can read which includes:
Standards for competence for registered nurses
Standards to support learning and assessment in practice
Standards of proficiency for nurse and midwife prescribers
Standards for medicines management
Enabling professionalism in nursing and midwifery practice
Safeguarding resources and best practice
5. Good Practice for Drug Calculations (Baxter)
- There aren't really much drug calculations in the exam, but you still need to practice and review basic medication calculations before the exam.

6. RCN website - Royal College of Nursing (practice and policies)
Accountability and delegation
Quality and safety
Principles of nursing practice

7. NICE website - The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (evidence-based guidelines)

8. NHS website - The National Health Service (symptoms, conditions, medicines and treatments)

9. eMC website - The electronic Medicines Compendium (information of medicines licensed for use in the UK)

10. Resus website - Resuscitation Council UK (resuscitation guidelines)


REMINDERS & TIPS FOR CBT:
  • Please double check your birth date in your NMC account and make sure the details on your passport and NMC account is the same. (Some candidates were refused admission because of wrong birth dates)
  • You only need to bring your Passport during the exam. But it is better to have a copy of your appointment details (printed or saved on your phone) to avoid confusion on the time and date of exam.
  • Try to arrive 30 minutes before your test time so that you can request for better exam cubicles. When I took the CBT, I was placed in the most uncomfortable location (beside the door and facing the corridor). During the exam, I can see silhouettes of people passing by and whenever someone enters or leaves the room, the sound of the door was driving me nuts. I had no choice but to endure it since the exam room was already full.
  • Maximize the time given during the exam. I know some of you might feel that 4 hours is too long for a 120-item exam, but it really pays to review your answers (I triple checked my answers).
  • Do not over-analyze and do not assume. Just answer what is asked in the question.
  • If you find your self clueless with the question asked or confused with the choices, just go back to the nursing principles and the code. Always prioritize the patient and act on their best interest.
Above all, pray and commit everything to God. 1st Corinthians 2:5 says "Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power." You see, no matter how hard we study and no matter how intelligent we are, it is still God who is in control of everything. We must first rely on Him and believe that His power is greater than anything else. If you are reading this and you plan to take the CBT, I pray that on the day of your exam God's power will move upon you. Claiming victory on your exam, in Jesus' name. Amen!

After the exam, the staff from Pearson Vue will give you an envelope with an Examination Report. They will not give you the result right away like Prometric/HAAD exams. Instead, you will check the result of the exam on the Pearson Vue website, which will be updated an hour after you finished the exam. Just click 'Exam History' which is under 'My Account'.

Upon passing the exam, you will now proceed to the Full Application and Assessment Stage.

 Part 2: Complete Guide on NMC Full Application and Assessment

Hope this post has helped you somehow. God bless!

The hands that bled for me

9:37:00 PM 0 Comments A+ a-

the hands that bled for me
"The hands that cradle the stars are the hands that bled for me."

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us,
in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8

It is so amazing how Jesus endured all the sufferings just to free us from the bondage of sins. He was born in a poor family and grew up being rejected by people because they do not believe that a carpenter's son is the promised Messiah. Even in His death, people chose to save a notorious prisoner (Barabbas) rather than Jesus who is not guilty of any sin. For any ordinary human being, this must be so hard to bear, but Jesus embraced His death just to save us. His love for us is indescribable. 

However, we all have taken this for granted, desensitized with all the images and movies of Christ dying on the cross. We forgot the true meaning of His sacrifice for us. In fact during holy week season, it is sad to see people tormenting themselves, walking on their knees in churches, whipping their backs, and even crucifying themselves believing that it is the only way to be forgiven from their sins.

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, 
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
Ephesians 1:7

Therefore, you do not need to do all these things to be forgiven and saved. We are saved by the grace of God through faith. In other words, we just have to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior to be saved. We do not depend on our good deeds to be saved, we just have to accept the gift of salvation.

I understand why it is so difficult for some of us to understand how God can just forgive, save and give blessings to those who just accept Him. This is because we are conditional beings. We are programmed to think everything has a condition because we live in a corrupt and sinful world. However, God is different. He loves unconditionally. He just wants you to acknowledge that you are a sinner, repent and turn away from your sins, and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior. It's that easy!

I believe that it is not by accident that you are reading this blog. God directed you here. If you want to be saved and invite Jesus into your life, you can say this prayer of acceptance below:

Gracious Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. 
I know that I have done a lot of things in the past that is not pleasing to You
and I have fallen short of Your glory.
Thank you that you sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins.
Forgive me Lord and cleanse me from all my unrighteousness.
I want to turn away from my sins and release every hatred in my heart.
I now fully receive Jesus as my personal Lord, Savior and Master.
Jesus, come into my life and reign in me.
Help me live a life that would give glory and honor to you.
In Jesus' name, I pray,  Amen.

If you wholeheartedly prayed this prayer, then rest assured that the old is gone and the new has come. You are a new creation now in Christ. God bless you!

Please God

6:01:00 PM 0 Comments A+ a-



"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Galatians 1:10

It is our human nature to always seek the approval of others. Sometimes, we even try to please people and gain their favor at the expense of our relationship with the Lord. 

Remember, Jesus was crucified because He was sharing God's word even though it was against the beliefs of some people. He chose to honor and glorify God rather than to please everyone.

There is nothing wrong in pleasing others, but it becomes a sin when choose to please people rather than the Lord. Serve God, not the world.

God Bless you!
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