Exploring Learning Problems of Filipino Nurse Candidates Working in Japan: Based on the Results of a Practice National Board Examination of Japan Given in English

This article investigates the status of the education and training of Filipino nurse candidates who have been working in Japan under the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). A survey was conducted among Filipino nurse candidates, using a practice examination based on the English version of Japan’s National Board Examination for Registered Nurses in 2009. Categorized by area, the mean correct answer rate for nursing-related questions ranged between 61% and 73%; the rate for questions concerning basic knowledge of body functions and diseases ranged between 55% and 57%. There was a large gap in terms of the results of the examination between those who had previously seen the exam questions and those who had never seen them. While 57.1% of those who had previously seen the questions satisfied the acceptance criteria, only 23.7%of those who had never viewed the test satisfied it. Based on these results, the factors which serve as obstacles that Filipino nurse candidates encounter in passing the national examination include not only difficulties in acquiring Japanese proficiency but also differences between Japan and the Philippines in respect to the nursing education curriculum and basic nursing policies

Exploring Learning Problems of Filipino Nurse Candidates Working in Japan: Based on the Results of a Practice National Board Examination of Japan Given in English

This article investigates the status of the education and training of Filipino nurse candidates who have been working in Japan under the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). A survey was conducted among Filipino nurse candidates, using a practice examination based on the English version of Japan’s National Board Examination for Registered Nurses in 2009. Categorized by area, the mean correct answer rate for nursing-related questions ranged between 61% and 73%; the rate for questions concerning basic knowledge of body functions and diseases ranged between 55% and 57%. There was a large gap in terms of the results of the examination between those who had previously seen the exam questions and those who had never seen them. While 57.1% of those who had previously seen the questions satisfied the acceptance criteria, only 23.7%of those who had never viewed the test satisfied it. Based on these results, the factors which serve as obstacles that Filipino nurse candidates encounter in passing the national examination include not only difficulties in acquiring Japanese proficiency but also differences between Japan and the Philippines in respect to the nursing education curriculum and basic nursing policies

A Comparative Study of the Curricula of Nursing Education in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia

A comparative study of the curricula of nursing education in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia was conducted as part of our research project on the acceptance of foreign nurses in Japan\u27s hospitals based on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between Japan and Southeast Asian countries. For this comparison of curricula, the author analyzed materials entitled “CHED MEMORANDUM ORDER NO.30 Series of 2001 SUBJECT: UPDATED POLICIES AND STANDARDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION” of the Philippines, and “KURIKULUM PENDIDIKAN D-III KEPERAWATAN” of Indonesia. The author’s finding is that the curriculum of the Philippines requires completion of 183 units, which is more than that of Japan. In the clinical training course, 37 units are required in the Philippines, whereas more than 23 units are required in Japan. On the other hand, a total of 110～120 units are put in the Indonesian nursing curriculum. This number is almost same as the number of units in Japan. The number of units for clinical training in Indonesia is less than that in Japan. However, the number of units for laboratory sessions is obviously more than that in Japan. A comparative study of the lessons in the above three countries is on the way, but not yet completed by the author.東南アジア諸国との経済連携協定(EPA) に基づく日本の外国人看護師受け入れに関する研究の一環として､本稿では日本､フィリピン､およびインドネシアにおける看護教育カリキュラムの比較を試みた｡比較に用いたカリキュラムは､フィリピンのCHED MEMORANDUM ORDER NO.30 Series of 2001 SUBJECT: UPDATED POLICIES AND STANDARDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION(フィリピン高等教育委員会覚書指令30号､2001年集､題目｢看護教育の最新版方針と基準｣)､インドネシアのKURIKULUM PENDIDIKAN D-III KEPERAWATAN(看護専門学校[D3] のカリキュラム) である｡フィリピンのカリキュラムでは183単位が必要で､日本よりも明らかに多かった｡臨地実習のみをみても37単位が必要で､日本の23単位より多かった｡一方､インドネシアでは全単位の合計は110～120であり､比較的日本のカリキュラムの単位数と近い数字であった｡インドネシアでは臨地実習は日本よりも少ないが､演習は明らかに多かった｡臨地実習を含む授業概要の詳細な比較は､今後の研究課題としたい

Exploring Learning Problems of Filipino Nurse Candidates Working in Japan: Based on the Results of a Practice National Board Examination of Japan Given in English

This article investigates the status of the education and training of Filipino nurse candidates who have been working in Japan under the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). A survey was conducted among Filipino nurse candidates, using a practice examination based on the English version of Japan’s National Board Examination for Registered Nurses in 2009.Categorized by area, the mean correct answer rate for nursing-related questions ranged between 61% and 73%; the rate for questions concerning basic knowledge of body functions and diseases ranged between 55% and 57%. There was a large gap in terms of the results of the examination between those who had previously seen the exam questions and those who had never seen them. While 57.1% of those who had previously seen the questions satisfied the acceptance criteria, only 23.7%of those who had never viewed the test satisfied it. Based on these results, the factors which serve as obstacles that Filipino nurse candidates encounter in passing the national examination include not only difficulties in acquiring Japanese proficiency but also differences between Japan and the Philippines in respect to the nursing education curriculum and basic nursing policies

The Experiences of Indonesian Nurses in Japan Who Face the Job and Cultural Stress in Their Work : A Qualitative Study

This joint research between University of Indonesia and Kyushu University was conducted in 6 hospitals and one elderly home in Western Japan in May and August 2009 in order to identify the stress and coping strategy of Indonesian nurses who work in Japan. There are 14 Indonesian nurses who participated in this study. The result shows that there are seven problems, namely, 1) language and communication barrier, 2) reward and salary issue, 3) being treated as assistant nurse, 4) feeling loneliness, 5) not suitable placement, 6) stress regarding the national board examination in Japanese, and 7) not enough information provided during the pre-departure program (there are some participants who had many expectations). Based on the result of this study, the researchers recommend a comprehensive preparation program to reduce the job and social culture stresses that may also happen amongst Indonesian nurses working in Japan. The comprehensive preparation program is needed before sending Indonesian nurses to Japan. This should include preparations for individual, group and system

Issues in the Education and Training of Foreign Nurse Candidates : A Mock National Examination of Filipino Candidates

In order to explore the circumstances and study issues related to education and training of foreign nurse candidates arriving in Japan under Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) concluded between Japan and Southeast Asian countries to undergo training or employment at medical institutions throughout Japan, we conducted a survey based on a mock examination of the national examination for nurses by targeting Filipino nurse candidates. The subjects comprised 59 Filipino nurse candidates of the first group to arrive in Japan who agreed to cooperate for the survey. For the survey, we used problems from the English version of the 98th National Examination for Nurses. Based on cooperation between the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) and Kyushu University, the survey was conducted at 4 locations throughout Japan in December 2009 using the same time allocations as those used in national examinations in Japan. According to the results, the mean rate of correct answers for mandatory problems was 79%. Categorized by area, the mean rate of correct answers was 61-73% for nursing-related problems and 55-57% for basic knowledge regarding bodily functions and disorders. The examination results differed greatly between those who had seen examination problems before and those who had not, and although 12 of the subjects who had seen the problems before (57.1%) met the standard of acceptance, only 9 of the subjects who had not seen the problems before (23.7%) met the standard of acceptance. These survey results indicate that factors of difficulties faced by Filipino nurse candidates in passing national examinations include not only the difficult of Japanese courses but also differences in nursing education curricula and basic nursing @policies between Japan and the Philippines. This survey revealed that in order to enable foreign nurse candidates to develop learning methods to pass national examinations, it is important to consider these kinds o f perspectives.日本と東南アジア諸国間の経済連携協定（EPA）の取り決めに従って来日し､全国の医療機関で研修・就労中の外国人看護師候補者の教育と研修の状況を探り､課題を検討するため､フィリピン人看護師候補者を対象とした看護師国家試験の模擬試験調査を実施した｡対象は来日第１陣のフィリピン人看護師候補者の中で､調査協力の得られた59名である｡調査に用いたのは､第98回看護国家試験問題の英語版である｡調査は､財団法人・海外技術者研修協会と九州大学が協力して2009年12月に全国４カ所で実施し､日本の国家試験と同じ時間配分で行った｡ その結果､必修問題の平均正答率は79％であった｡領域別平均正答率をみると､看護系では61～73％であったのに対して､身体機能や疾患の基礎知識などについては55～57％であった｡今までに試験問題を見たことがある者とない者では試験結果が大きく異なり､見たことがある者の12名（57.1％） が合格基準に達していたのに対して､見たことがない者で合格基準に達していたのは９名（23.7％） であった｡これらの調査結果から､フィリピン人看護師候補者にとって国家試験合格の壁になっている要因としては､日本語履修の難しさだけでなく､日本・フィリピン間の看護教育カリキュラムや看護の基本方針の相違もあることが示唆された｡候補者の国家試験合格に向けた学習方法の開発にあたっては､こうした観点も重要であることがわかった

A Follow-up Survey on Hospitals and Long-Term Care Facilities Accepting The First Batch of Indonesian Nurse/Certified Care Worker Candidates (1) : Analysis on the Current Status and Challenges

Upon signing of the Japan Indonesia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which includes the provision on Movement of Natural Persons, more than 550 Indonesian nurse and certified care worker (kaigo fukushishi) candidates were deployed to Japan since 2008. After completing the six months language training, the candidates are placed in the Japanese hospitals and long term care facilities. One year after their placement in January 2010, the Kyushu University Research Team undertook a quantitative survey of 100a hospitals and care facilities which employed the first cohort of Indonesian nurse and care worker candidates in order to reveal the present situation and challenges that these institutions are facing. Two major findings from the research are; 1) despite of the language and cultural differences, the foreign nurses/care workers hardly had any problem with the patients and contributed to the revitalization of the working environment, and 2) the employers are overburdened by investing financial and human resources in order to support the foreign nurses/care workers and some are reconsidering the future acceptance of candidates under EPA. The positive impact of employing foreign nurses/care workers should be acknowledged and strengthened while　mitigating the negative consequences through policy intervention if we are to make the arrangements under EPA sustainable.2008年以降､日本インドネシア経済連携協定により550名以上のインドネシア人看護師介護福祉士候補者が来日し､半年間の日本語研修の後に日本の病院や介護施設で就労をしている｡九州大学研究班では､第１陣のインドネシア人候補者が就労を開始して１年が経過した2010年１月に､候補者が配属になった全国の100の病院と介護施設を対象として､受け入れの現状や意識を明らかにする量的調査を行った｡その結果､候補者たちは言語や文化的な差異にもかかわらず､患者や入所者との摩擦はほとんどなく､職場の活性化やコミュニケーションの向上に貢献していることが明らかになった｡一方で､受け入れた病院・介護施設は財政的・人的負担を抱えており､今後の受け入れを再考する意見も見られた｡制度の持続可能性が問われつつある現在､外国人ケアワーカー導入によるポジティブな変化を評価しつつ､各病院・介護施設の負担感を緩和するような政策が求められている