Nursing graduates need to pass the Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) to obtain professional License. This nursing exam is not easy and majority of those who take fail to get a passing mark. However, the real challenge for nurses nowadays is not to pass the NLE but to find the right job.

This is because even if a nurse manages to pass the board exam, the chances of landing a good job is still small.

According to an article that appeared in Inquirer website, many nurses who took the board exam last July 2 and 3 are more worried about the prospect of finding a job than in passing the exam.

Joy Sta. Maria, a nursing graduate who was interviewed for the Inquirer article said, “If one seriously reviewed for the board, passing it is ‘chicken.’ But what is more challenging and really frustrating is the task ahead – job hunting.”

The nurse added that even if he passed the board, he is still not sure of landing a nursing job.

He said, “Most probably, I would also end up as another jobless nurse in government statistics.” he said.

Other nurses who were interviewed by Inquirer also share the opinion of Sta. Maria. They said that even with a Professional Nursing License, looking for a job in public and private hospitals is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

A friend of Sta. Maria said, “The future is bleak. But I can’t do anything. I’m already stuck in this jobless profession.”

Another nurse who is taking the board exam for the second time admitted that working overseas is not part of her dream anymore even if she passes the NLE.

Mary Alegre said, “Landing an overseas job is a tall order. A professional nurse in the country today is considered very lucky if he gets hired even as a casual or ‘job order’ in a government hospital.”