Brief History of

the Philippines
Nursing Law
• Act No. 2493 of 1915 – first law that had to do with the practice of
nursing
o examination and registration of nurses in the Philippine Islands
• applicants needed to be only twenty years old, in good physical health,
and of good moral character.
• Graduate of intermediate courses of public schools could enter the
schools of nursing which was then giving only two years-and-a-half of
instruction
• Those who desired to be second-class nurses filed an application with
the district health officer in the district where they resided.
• In 1919, Act 2808 was passed
 01
.
REPUBLIC ACTS, PRESIDENTIAL
DECREES, PROCLAMATION NO.,
PRC MEMORANDUM AND LETTER
OF INSTRUCTION
 • The Philippine Nursing Law
•
Republic Act •
June 19, 1953
Provisions included the organization of the
Board of Examiners for nurses, provisions
877 regarding nursing schools and colleges,
examination, registration of nurses including
sundry provisions relative to the practice of
nursing
SEC. 16, ART IV. Inhibition Section 30 Article V. Prohibition
against practice of nursing. in the practice of nursing. Penal
Provision.

Unless exempt from registration, no Any person who shall practice nursing in the Philippines within
person shall practice or offer to practice the meaning of this Act, without a certificate of registration
nursing in the Philippines as defined in issued in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or without
this Act, without holding a valid having been declared exempt for examination and registration,
certificate of registration as nurse issued or any person presenting or using as his or her own the
by the Board of Examiners for Nurses: certificate of registration of another, or any person giving any
false or forged evidence to the Board in order to obtain a
provided, however, that for the protection certificate of registration, or any person assuming, using or
of life and the promotion of health, or for advertising as a registered nurse, or appending to his/her name
the prevention of illness and any the letters R.N. or B.S.N. without having been conferred such
communicable disease any person titles or degree in a legally constituted school, college or
practicing or offering to practice university or Board of Examiners duly authorized by the
professional nursing in the Philippines government to confer the same, or advertising any title or
must submit evidence that he/she is description tending to convey the impression that she/he is a
nurse, e.g., using the nurse's uniform and cap without holding a
qualified to practice, and licensed as valid certificate of registration from the Board, or any person
hereinafter provided. violating any provision of this Act, shall be guilty of
misdemeanor and shall upon conviction, be sentenced to a fine
of less than one year or more than five years, or both in the
discretion of the court.
 Republic Act 4704
1. The membership of the Board of Examiners for Nurses was increased from 3 to 5 members
2. Members of the Board were to be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the
consent of the Commission on Appointments and no longer "upon recommendation of the
Commission of Civil Service."
3. The requisite academic degree for members of the Board was a Master's Degree, instead of
a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing.
4. A disqualifying age limit for a Board Member was fixed. No person was eligible for
membership in the board if he/ she was over 65 years of age, heretofore, no such age
disqualification was provided by law.
5. The maximum total compensation which a member of the Board of Examiners for Nurses
could receive was raised from P12,000.00 per annum, as provided in the 1965-1966
Appropriation Act (Republic Act No. 4642) to P18,000.00 yearly.
6. The academic qualification for Deans, Directors and principals of Colleges and Schools of
Nursing was raised from the level of a Baccalaureate Degree to that of a Master's Degree in
Nursing.
 Republic Act 4704
7. The areas of study required for entrance to colleges and schools of nursing were generalized
to include courses in physical, biological, social and behavioral sciences, as well as
humanities, chemistry, psychology and zoology.
8. The scope of nursing practice was broadened to circumscribe the whole management of the
care of patients and the acts constituting professional practice of nursing were spelled out to
include such services as reporting, recording and evaluation of a patient's case, supervision
of persons contributing to the nursing care of patients, execution of nursing procedures and
techniques, direction and education to secure physical and mental care and the application
and execution of physician's orders concerning treatment and medication.
9. The date of holding of nurse's examination was no longer fixed but adjusted to the official
closing of the semestral term of classes in colleges and schools of nursing.
10. The minimum age required of applicants for admission the nurse's examination was lowered
from 21 to 18 years of age, but no candidate who passed the examination was permitted to
practice the profession until he or she reached the age of 21
 Republic Act 7164
• Philippine Nursing Act of 1991

Changes:
1.Redefinition of the scope of nursing practice to emphasize
a) the use of the nursing process as a scientific discipline in arriving at an appropriate
nursing action and care,
b) b. the teaching, management, leadership, and decision making roles of the nurse,
and
c) the undertaking of and participation in studies and research by nurses;
2.Requiring a faculty member who was appointed to the Board of Nursing to resign from his/her
teaching position at the time of appointment and not one year preceding his/ her appointment as
provided in Republic Act 877, as amended;
3.Updating a faculty's educational qualification by requiring a Master's Degree in Nursing or
related fields or its equivalent in terms of experience and specification as prerequisite to teaching
4.Specification of qualifications of administrators of nursing services; and
5.Inclusion of the phrase “Unethical conduct” as one of the reasons for revocation and
suspension of certificate of registration
 Proclamation No. 539
• Presidential Proclamation of a Nurse Week.
• last week of October of every year, beginning in 1958. as
Nurses' Week.’
• Purpose: to develop consciousness and availability of
nursing resources in the Philippines.
 Presidential Decree No. 223
• Professional Regulation Commission and prescribed its powers and functions.

1.The fee for the nurse's examination was increased from P50.00 to P75.00 and the fee for
registration as nurse after passing the examination was increased from P20.00 to P40.00.
2.An applicant for registration as nurse without examination had to pay a statutory fee equal to the
sum of the examination fee and a registration fee, or a total amount of P115.00.
3.The annual registration fee should be paid on or before the 20th of January of the year. Failure to
pay entailed a surcharge of 20 percent and such additional charge was imposed for each year that
the annual registration fee was not paid, and if non-payment of the fee lasted for consecutive years,
the nurse concerned was deemed as not of good standing and her certificate of registration should
thereby be considered suspended and her name removed from the annual roster.
4.Nurses in inactive status were exempted from paying the annual registration fee, provided they
properly informed the Nursing Board that they had stopped practicing their profession. Reinstatement
to nursing practice and in the annual roster of an inactive nurse could be effected by a request in
writing and the payment of the annual registration fee for the current year
PRC Memorandum No. 2005-02
• PRC Memorandum No. 2005-02 dated March 3, 2005, implementing the revised
rates of fees charged and collected by Commission on Appointment

Letter of Instruction No. 1000

• Letter of Instruction No. 1000 from then President Ferdinand Marcos, dated
March 20, 1980, required that members of accredited Professional organizations
shall be given priority in the hiring of employees in the government service and in
the engagement of professional services.
 Republic Act 1612
• a privilege tax shall be paid before any business or occupation can be lawfully begun or
pursued.
• The occupation or professional tax for nurses was P50.00 payable annually on or before
January 31.
• Any person who pursued any occupation without paying the tax required by law was liable
to pay a fine not exceeding P1,000.00 or imprisonment, for a term not exceeding six
months or both.
• Any person who did not pay his annual privilege tax for the current year was fined not less
than P200.00 and not more than P500.00.
• Nurses working in the government service were exempted from paying the privilege tax.
• Nurses need not to apply to the Civil Service Commission for the conversion of the passed
board examination.
THANK YOU!