Army recruits 55 new nurses for medical team

April 16, 2020

The Philippine Army (PA) recruited new registered nurses to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Col. Ramon Zagala, PA spokesman, said a total 55 new registered nurses will join the Army's medical team.

Zagala said the newly-recruited nurses will be sent to various COVID-19 treatment facilities including Army Wellness Center, Rizal Medical Complex and at the Army General Hospital (AGH) as staff nurses.

"The PA has assigned the first batch of 16 nurses at the AGH since last week," he said.

Zagala said the second batch of 39 nurses, who took their oaths on Wednesday, started their three-day training on COVID-19 response for nurses as well as orientation on the military organization.

"Specifically, the PA provides the new recruits lectures and workshops on PA Health Service, anatomy and physiology, Intro to COVID 19 disease, basic infection control (use of PPE, donning and doffing of PPE, hand hygiene, waste disposals, control of traffic and movement in the clinical area), basic nursing procedures (administration of injections, care of patients with mechanical ventilators, and nursing documentations)," he said.

"On the military side, they were given orientation on the specific military duties and responsibilities, military courtesy, etiquette and military discipline," said Zagala.

"Since the recruitment follows a special call for enlistment, they will still undergo the basic military training and will be part of the regular force deployed in the different military treatment facilities (station hospitals and/or medical dispensaries) after the pandemic," he added.

Zagala also noted that those who are "fully qualified individuals are priorities for application for commissionship either in the Nurse Corps or Regular Officer Corps. They will be enlisted for an initial one term or three years."

“This national health emergency calls us for an immediate response to help those who are in need. The Army is grateful for our frontliners who took the challenge and risks their lives in the service of the Filipino people,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS