an RPh's take on the RN leakage scandal

I've read the papers and I've seen the tv reports. Being a graduate of a health science course and being a board passer myself, It's hard not to give notice. I don't know when it all started but since the issue just won't die down, I might as well share my thoughts on it.

There was a leakage in the recent Nursing Board Exam, that's a fact. The SM Manila review, the powerpoint presentation, no one's denying that it happened. It all comes down to 2 things. First, who's to blame? And second, is a retake in order?

So who's to blame? Fingers are pointing everywhere but I think I know who the mastermind is. During the first week of the issue, I saw an ANC talk show with Tina Monsod Palma and her guests were the PNA president and a couple of nursing college deans. While the deans were thoroughly discussing the current problems of the nursing profession, Mr. Cordero was quick to point out that all the board members should resign. He was so negative and I tried to make sense out of his statements but it was so farfetched that I thought He was just a complete waste of time.

A week passed and the truth slowly took off its cover. Proof of the leakage was all over the place and it all pointed to one man. The SM Manila review, the plane tickets for the board members, and the threats to board members retracting their original testimonies, everything comes down to Mr. Cordero. Now I'm no detective and I know I don't know the Nursing profession that well but it's too obvious. With his son's failure to pass the exam as his excuse, he's got some explaining to do. I think we have ourselves a mastermind, former PNA president George Cordero. (Please don't kill me Mr. Cordero, I'm too young to die!)

Is there a need for a retake? I saw the footages of oath-takings and I'm not too pleased with it. Not including the fact that there was a TRO, i think it's just wrong. I don't want my license to have a footnote reading "exam still under investigation." I want my license to be legit, and if I have to take it again just so I can silence all the critics, I would.

I've seen the proud board passers making faces when one proposes a retake. Grow-up. Yes, you did not enroll in review centers, you self-studied. I'm not taking that away from you. But with that, I don't think retaking the exam would be such a big problem. The re-take is free of charge and only includes Test 3 and 5, parts that were said to be fraudulent. C'mon, we all know you're just being lazy. The time, effort and finance spent will all be worth a name extension without the dirt. (To the "No Retake" protesters, please don't kill me either!)