About RNheals

Background and Rationale  

Consistent with the country’s constitutional mandate to make essential health goods and social services available to
all Filipinos, especially the poor, the administration’s social sector shall pursue schemes supportive of the Local
Government Code through an integrated approach. Among the major concerns is access to health care services for
the poor because of the lack of available resources for health care. 

In response to the above, the Department of Health (DOH) in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) shall spearhead a training cum deployment project for currently unemployed nurse for
the improvement of local health system and support the country’s attainment of its Millennium Development Goal
targets. Particularly, the project shall contribute to the eradication of poverty and hunger, promotion of gender
equality, reduction of child mortality, and improvement of maternal health. The project shall also synchronize with
the human resources requirements of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or Conditional Cash transfer (CCT). Consequently, the project shall require
partnership with other agencies and organization like the Department of labor and Employment (DOLE), the
Professional Regulation Commission – Board of Nursing (PRC-BON), Philippine Nurse Association (PNA),
counterpart regional/province offices and the Local Government Units (LGUs). 

Eventually, this program will provide a pool of competent nurses for later employment/absorption in health facilities
thus, addressing the inadequate supply of skilled nurses and therefore increase nurse employment rate.

RNheals shall address the following:

 Improve access of poor communities to quality healthcare;

 Increate nurses’ employability with enhanced clinical and preventive health management competencies;
 provide income generating opportunities for currently unemployed registered nurses;
 Address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses through a competency based learning and
development project;
 Address the inadequate nursing workforce in rural and un served/underserved communities and health
facilities;
 Address the proliferation of the so-called “volunteer nurses” (i.e., working in hospitals without being paid,
albeit, they themselves pay the hospital to obtain a certificate of work experience).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
RNheals intends to address the surplus in inexperienced nurses, promote health of the people and bring the
government closer to them. The project will deploy nurses in rural and underserved communities for a period of one
year. Nurses under this project will undergo learning and development in accordance with the roles and functions
required by this project. A certificate of competency and employment will be given to those who have satisfactorily
completed their engagement with the project. While on deployment, nurses will be given an allowance to cover for
their meals, transportation and other incidental expenses.
Competencies gained by the nurses upon completion of the training cum deployment project shall cover both
clinical and public health.

TARGET AREAS
Community based volunteer nurses will be deployed in all regions and provinces nationwide where DSWS’s
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) is being implemented as well as
DOH Basic Emergency Maternal Obstetric and Neonatal Care (BEMONC) facilities are being
upgraded/strengthened.
 
BENEFICIARIES

Ten thousand registered nurses will undergo learning and development during their deployment;
2.3 million Household will benefit from delivery of health services.

GAIN
The project will provide the registered nurses with an allowance of Php8, 000.00 per month;

 A total of 10,000 nurses shall undergo learning and development during the deployment period to enhance their
community and clinical health competencies to increase their employability;

 The project will address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses, both domestic and international through a
structured competency development program.

 CCT and BEMONC areas will benefit from improved health care services.
 The project will also augment the nursing workforce of health facilities from identified CCT and BEMONC areas
of needed clinical and public health nurses.

 PROJECT IMPLEMENTERS

The community bases nurses deployment shall be a joint project of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), and the
Professional Regulation Commission – Board of Nursing (PRC-BON). The Philippine Nursing Association (PNA),
regional/provincial health officers of government and Local Government Units shall also be involved in the
implementation of the project.

DOH shall:

 Lead in the implementation of the learning, development and deployment of nurses;

 Assess the quality of healthcare in the identified communities;
 Craft the Orientation and Training Module for community based volunteer nurses in collaboration with
partner agencies for the BEMONC areas;
 Lead in the formulation of policies and implementation guidelines of the project in collaboration with
partner agencies;
 Lead in the orientation and exit conference of the trainee nurses;
 Lead in the monitoring and evaluation of the community based volunteer nurse;

 DSWD shall:

 Identify participating communities and health facilities (CCT areas);

 Collaborate with DOH in the formulation of policies and implementation guidelines of the project;
 Craft the orientation and Training Module for community based volunteer nurses in collaboration with
partner agencies for the CCT areas;
 Overseas and monitoring the project implementation;

 DOLE shall:

 Lead in the recruitment activities for the project;

 Receive applications and screen nurse applicants for training;
 Participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the project;

 PRC-BON shall:

 Validate license of nurse applicants;

 Assist in the formulation of orientation and training modules and related learning and development
activities;
 Development code of discipline for the nurse in the project;
 In collaboration with PNA, conduct periodic competency assessment of the nurses;
 Participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the community based volunteer nurses;

 Philippine Nurses Association shall:

 Collaborate with partner agencies in the development of modules;

 Develop journal templates and competency assessment tool for nurses;
 Conduct periodic competency assessment of the nurses;
 Participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the community based volunteer nurses;

Regional/Provincial Offices of DSWD, DOLE, DOH, PRC-BON shall:

 Exercise administrative and technical supervision over the community based volunteer nurses;
 Support nursing activities in the areas; 

Local Government Units shall:

 Ensure the safety and security of the community based volunteer nurses;
 Provide modes board and lodging;
 Exercise administrative and technical supervision over the community based volunteer nurses; 

Program Coverage

Unemployed registered nurses who are physically and mentally fit and willing to serve in their hometowns and who
meet the following requirements may qualify under RNheals:
  With valid PRC license;
 Resident of the identified CCT area/s;
 Medical certificate issued by government hospitals stating that the applicant is fit to work; and
 NARS Project drop-outs will not be considered

Online Application

Online application may be filed from 17 January 2011 to 04 February 2011.

Contact Us

Office/Region Office Address Contact Number Email Address

NCR DOLE NCR Bldg.,967 Maligaya St., (02)400-6242 dolencr_planning@yahoo.com
Malate,Manila
CAR Cabinet Hills, Baguio City (074) 442-2447 dolecar88@pldtdsl.net; dole-
car@pldtdsl.net
RO1 ARNEL Bldg., Mabini St., Catbangen., (072)700-2520 dolero1@digitelone.com
San Fernando City, La Union
RO2 Turingan Bldg., Caritan Centro, (078) 844-1364 ad_services_ro2@yahoo.com
Tuguegarao, Cagayan
RO3 Regional Government Center, Barangay (045) 455-1613 dolero3@gmail..com
Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga
RO4A 3/F & 4/F Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. (049)545-7360 dole4imsd@yahoo.com
Parian, Calamba, Laguna
RO4B 2nd Floor, Home Mark Building, J.P. (043) 288-1485 doleregion4b@pacific.net.ph;
Rizal Street, Camilmil, Calapan City, dolemimaropa@pacific.net.ph
Oriental Mindoro
RO5 Dona Aurora St., Old Albay, Legaspi City (052)480-5831 dolero5@yahoo.com
RO6 Swan-Rose Bldg., Commision Civil St., (033)320-8026 doleregion6@yahoo.com.ph
Jaro,IloIlo
RO7 2/F GMC Plaza, MJ Cuenco Ave. corner (032)253-0638 dolero7@cvis.net.ph
Legaspi St., Cebu City
RO8 Trece Martirez St., Tacloban City (053)325-5236 dolero8@mail.evis.net.ph
RO9 Right Wing, 3rd Floor QNS Bldg., (062)991-2673 dole_region_9@yahoo.com;
Veterans Avenue Ext., Tumaga, dole9zam@pldtdsl.net
Zamboanga City
RO10 2/F Gonzalo Go Bldg., Corrales Ave., (088) 857-2218 dole10@websprinter.net
Cagayan de Oro City
RO11 LDL Bldg., Bangoy St., Davao City (082) 227-8772 dole11davao@yahoo.com
RO12 102 ACEPAL Bldg., Mabini Ext., (083) 228-4920 dolexii@cotabato.mozcom.com
Koronadal City
CARAGA Nimfa Tiu Bldg., J.P. Rosales Ave., (085)342-9606; 342-9503 dolexiii@sky.net
Butuan City