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2007 News

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23 FEBRUARY 2007, 8pm U.S. Eastern Time (24 FEBRUARY 2007, 9am Manila Time)

CGFNS CEO ADVICE TO ROSERO: DECISION IS FINAL
No useful purpose would be served by Dr Rosero’s traveling to Philadelphia

Professional Regulation Commission Chair Dr Leonor Rosero and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) CEO Barbara Nichols spoke with each other by telephone Saturday morning, 24 February, Manila time. Dr Nichols requested the telephone conversation so that she might provide Dr Rosero with additional information regarding CGFNS’s recent decision to deny VisaScreen^® certification to nurses licensed following the June 2006 licensure examination.

A ICHP VisaScreen^® certificate is required before any health care worker educated outside the U.S. can be issued an occupational visa to work in the United States.

During the conversation, Dr Nichols assured Dr Rosero that CGFNS was fully aware of and concerned about the hardship that its decision might cause to the June 2006 passers. Dr Nichols noted, however, that the decision is final, and no useful purpose would be served by Dr Rosero coming to the United States to make an appeal of that decision. The CGFNS CEO made several points during the conversation, among them:

• CGFNS is not a court or a government agency. It is a private, nonprofit corporation. The board of trustees, the highest authority of that corporation, has made this decision. There is no process or provision for an appeal or reconsideration of a board decision. There is no higher authority than the board of trustees.
• The decision of the CGFNS Board of Trustees is required by U.S. immigration law in circumstances such as this. In this case, because passers of the June 2006 Philippine nursing licensure exam were found to have a license that was not comparable to a U.S. nursing license, the board was required to determine that an ICHP VisaScreen^® certificate may not be issued to such individuals.
• The decision of the board of trustees on this issue was unanimous. There was not a single No vote.
• As evidence of its compassion and concern about the consequences of its decision, CGFNS provided an opportunity for the June passers to “cure” their present ineligibility by retaking the equivalent of tests 3 and 5. CGFNS will therefore gladly accept the passing test scores of any nurse who had the courage to retake the licensure exam — in whole or in part — in December 2006. And it has urged the Philippine Government to allow the June 2006 passers to retake tests 3 and 5 during 2007.
• This decision of the CGFNS Board is final; the matter is settled.