2. It’s not necessarily transmitted from contact with pigs

3. It’s a novelty virus with traits from Avian, Swine and Human Flu

4. You can start infecting people even without symptoms

5. Oseltamivir is the drug of choice but the virus can build immunity against it

1. Do I really need to enroll in a review center?

The purpose of a review center as its name implies is to refresh on topics that may have been tackled a long time ago. Review centers before targeted old graduates who waited a long time before taking the Nursing Licensure Exam or retakers. If you’re confident of your knowledge, skills and attitude to self-review/study then you can safely bypass review centers and save up on the tuition fee.

IF you graduated in a curriculum with GUIDED REVIEW as one of the subjects in the last semester then you shouldn’t even be contemplating in enrolling in a review. What you should be doing is getting reading for the immediate Board exam. If you’re school has other plans you can read your rights as a Graduate Nurse or technically a Graduate Pinoy.

2. Is the review center accredited?

It was a big issue last June 2006 when some review centers leaked the NLE. To preserve the integrity of the NLE, the government issued Executive Order 566 which places review centers under CHED. Currently EO 566 is put on hold but review centers that were able to file and be accreditted by CHED can considered as a review center comitted to quality.

3. Does the review center have experience?

No one can discount the years a review center has operated. There must be something in the review center that has kept it going for decades. Choose ones that land in the 15-25 years of service, they’re not that new but not too old to be outdated. Experience could also mean branches. Go for review centers with 10 or more branches, it would mean that they already have systems in place that makes their branches efficient in giving review classes.

4. Do they have the best review team?

Review team consists of the review lecturers since you are looking for a review center. Make sure that they have a lot of review centers which would mean that their review lecturers would be seasoned or well-trained to handle  review classes. There are 5 major nursing subjects tackled in the NLE with additional 3 minor subjects, there should be 2-3 lecturer per subject.

5. What is their review program?

Most review centers just have what they call as Extensive review, some good review centers offer Modular review or Enhancement Review. But really what you should look for in their review program is the number of hours. The best review centers can have as much as 900 hours to 1200 hours of review. Why not months, there are some review centers that fool students, they can say 3 months review but when the students enter the program they are shocked to find they only go to class 3 days a week or have only 4 hours a day review. So look for review centers with a lot of programs to choose from and the longest number of hours for you money’s worth.

6. How much is their tuition fee?

For a review program of 900 hours (roughly 5 months of 5 days a week, 8 hours a day review), would costs anywhere between Php 15,000 to Php 20,000.  Too low a price such as Php 10,000 to  Php 12,000 there may be some doubt in the quality, to large a price Php 25,000 and above you are being duped or overcharged.

7. What is their track record or history?

This is a question that will test your truth finding skills. Review centers can rattle off board topnotchers or even claim thousands of passing rate in verbal or written in pieces of papers. Only review centers telling the truth can have the guts to post in billboards/newspapers and flyers their true board topnotchers and passers. If you are in a locality where a review center is claiming a school or topnotcher always ask and verify if its true. If a review center is false in claiming achievements then what can you expect in the honesty and quality of their review programs.

The best review centers have the topnotchers teaching or handling minor classes or giving testimonies of their experience in review. Choose a review center with more than 80% passing rate, 3-5 Board topnotchers per board exam or 50-100 topnotchers in their years of service and most importantly a record of their past board examinations in plain sight.

8. What are their facilities?

People neglect to ask this. Would you want to review in a place without comfort rooms or even amenities such as proper seats or ventilation? This is a case to case basis and according to your preference. Review centers with their own facilities are best, not the ones that require your school AVR or auditorium, you’ve been there for 4 years or more don’t you think it’s best to have a change of setting. AND you shouldn’t be paying extra fee for the venue especially if it belongs to the school.

9. What are my benefits?

Some review centers, the ones that are really dedicated and not just after the profit will follow you up with discounts in other review such as NCLEX-RN, CGFNS and even IELTS or Midwifery. Free review materials and test papers should be there also as well as tutorial classes or reinforcement and best of all little bit of incentive to encourage students, like one review center offering 100% reimbursement of their tuition fee when getting a place from Top 1 to Top 10 in the board exam.

And finally question number

10. What is their commitment?

Ask this blunt question last, Staff of review centers with true commitment will answer you without batting an eyelash, without hesitation and certainly with pride and genuinity what their Review center commitment is. After all, if a review center has confident staff/lecturers that believe in their vision/mision and goals then you can safely say you are in good hands.

After reading all of this start back at number 1 when you have finally chosen a review center. Good luck and God Bless in the Nursing Licensure Exam future colleague!

~AB Cervantes

Nars Notes! Endorsing to the world!

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