3 #ProudViscans top nursing board; VSU registers 100% passing rate anew

This continuous streak of topnotchers in NLE began in 2022 when Ms. Althea Grace C. Mosende landed 8th, followed by Ms. Erikka Blaze M. Monredondo, who also placed 8th in 2023, and Mr. John Philip C. Maloloy-on, who ranked 9th in May only this year. 

Out of the 47 Viscan passers, Ms. Maria Paz O. Orang, Ms. Caryl Anne D. Cagara, and Ms. Hazel Ann E. Gonzales made it to the Top 10 examinees who garnered the highest ratings in the country.

As the whole VSU community, particularly the College of Nursing, celebrated this biggest achievement before ending the academic year, these three #ProudViscans proudly shared their success stories while looking back at their fair share of challenges before becoming topnotchers.

Meet the three topnotchers

Maria Paz, who ranked 9th in the NLE, is a 22-year-old from Alejawan, Duero, Bohol. This proud Boholana dedicated her recent accomplishment to her hard-working mother, who works as a midwife in her town’s rural health unit, who raised her and her younger sister by herself after their father died from a cardiac condition in 2012. 

“If it weren’t for her constant support (especially financially), hard work, love, and understanding, I wouldn’t have come this far. She never pressured me to be at the top; instead, she trusted my capabilities, allowing me to truly enjoy the process. Her belief in me provided the strength and motivation I needed to persevere through all the challenges, and her trust gave me the freedom to learn and grow at my own pace,” Maria Paz opened up.

Hazel, 23, who placed 10th in the NLE, hails from La Paz, Leyte, and comes from a hardworking family. His father works as a factory worker in Manila, while her mother is a dedicated housewife.

“Watching my parents sa ilahang sacrifices, mao ang naka-inspire nako mag-strive for excellence sa tanan nakong buhaton,” Hazel described.

[Watching my parents’ sacrifices inspired me to strive for excellence in everything I do.]

Like Hazel, Caryl also landed 10th on the nursing board. She is a 22-year-old who lives in Tacloban City. She described her parents as supportive of whatever dreams they wanted to pursue in life. Her father is an operator of a motorized tricycle for hire, and her mother is a secondary school teacher. 

“My parents are actually very supportive in our decisions, especially pag-choose ha amon course because they want [us] nga mopili mi og kurso nga among ganahan. Ang akoang older sister, siya gyud ang nag-push nako mag-pursue og nursing,” Caryl shared.

[My parents are actually very supportive of our decisions, especially when choosing our college degree programs. My older sister was the one who convinced me to pursue nursing.]

Maria Paz: The lowkey student turned topnotcher

#ProudViscan Maria Paz admitted that she was about to postpone taking NLE because she feared she wouldn’t pass in her current state.

“To be honest, I crammed my way to the top. I started studying and preparing extensively just a month before the board exam. Actually, our review began in the last week of June in Cebu City, but I felt like my progress was very slow,” she began. “As September arrived, I still felt like I was falling behind in my studies. The pressure continued to build, and I became so anxious that I couldn’t focus throughout the entire month; I even considered going home to Bohol to clear my head because I felt drained and unmotivated to keep studying. My scores in the practice exams in our review center felt insufficient, and I doubted they were enough to help me pass the licensure exam.”

Eventually, by the last week of September, Maria Paz finally decided to go home and take her break. Upon her short stay, she realized the root of her lack of motivation was caused by her low self-esteem.

“Since my college days, before even attempting any tasks, reading my books, or performing return demonstrations for our RLE, I would often tell myself that it was too hard or that I couldn’t do it. My low self-esteem has always been the main reason why I didn’t excel back in college. I felt unworthy and incapable of achieving anything significant,” she revealed.

After figuring out the reason why she couldn’t finish a single material she planned to complete, she finally decided to change her mindset and behavior.

“I promised myself I would give my best and trust in my ability to succeed. I believe that was the first time that I truly focused on myself and trusted my capabilities.”

The topnotcher also added that she would visit the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu Church to pray and cry silently to help her when she felt anxious. 

“When October came, I really stepped up my efforts—doubling, even tripling them. On days when we didn’t have a class in the review center, I would head to a study hub from 10 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day because I knew that if I stayed in the boarding house, I wouldn’t make any progress. The study hub really helped me stay focused on my tasks for the day because it was quiet and it created a study environment where I could set my mind to work.” 

When the results of the NLE came, she only hoped to see her name on the list of passers. But her dedication, mental resilience, and spiritual faith made her reach that far.

“I was in complete shock when, at the very bottom of the page, I saw my name. I couldn’t hold back my tears. I cried hard because I never expected to be part of the top-performing examinees. I even wondered if I had seen it wrong, but then remembered that the PRC’s system checks everything automatically through a machine.”

Hazel and Caryl: Friends turned topnotchers

To ease the stress during their review season, Hazel and Caryl shared that they motivated and encouraged each other along with their Waray-Waray circle of friends who took review at the Power Development Center in Tacloban City.

Hazel disclosed that her supportive group of friends, including Caryl, made their review time less stressful because in between their breaks, they would often play to balance studying and relaxing.

When the results were released at midnight on November 29, both Hazel and Caryl did not expect to see their names on the list of topnotchers, as their main goal is to pass the board.

“Someone from our batch’s group chat messaged that naa daw tulo ka topnotcher sa amoang batch and mentioned my name, along with Ms. Cagara and Ms. Orang. After adto, nag-freeze jud ko literal kay wa jud ko nag-except. Samot na kay wa jud ko kita sa results pa,” Hazel recalled.

[Someone from our group chat messaged that there were three topnotchers in our batch, and they mentioned my name, along with Ms. Cagara and Ms. Orang. After that, I literally froze because I did not expect it and hadn’t seen the results just yet.]

Caryl, on the other hand, felt in disbelief and had to see the list released by the Professional Regulation Commission to check if her name was indeed there. 

“It didn’t sink in at first kay I didn’t actually believe I was part of the list of topnotchers. Kay my main goal jud is to pass the board exam and become a registered nurse,” she confirmed.

[It didn’t sink in at first because I didn’t actually believe I was part of the list of topnotchers. My only main goal was to pass the board exam and become a registered nurse.]

Coincidentally, when the results were out, it was the same day that one of Hazel’s and Caryl’s family members celebrated their birthdays.

“What made the moment more special was we were celebrating my father’s birthday that day. So, aside from greeting him that time, I gave him my unexpected gift—passing and topping the board,” Hazel proudly revealed.

“The day it was released was my ate’s 27th birthday. It made the moment more meaningful,” Caryl seconded.

For Caryl, her achievement is also a dedication to his late grandfather, who encouraged her to pursue nursing in college.

“Nursing was the greatest wish of my Lolo Ramon for me before he died during Yolanda.” 

The path to topping the boards

The three topnotchers agreed that consistency in reading and answering practice questions was the practical key that prepared them for the NLE.

“I made sure to include regular practice exams each day, aiming for at least 30-50 questions before going to bed, and I always read the rationalizations. This helped deepen my understanding of different scenarios and sharpened my ability to strategize in answering exam questions,” Maria Paz revealed.

Hazel also stated that she struggled to discover the most suitable study methods that best worked for her until she realized that taking exam drills happened to be more effective in testing her retention.

“I realize that the most effective method that works for me is answering questions. I would focus on understanding the rationale behind the answers, which not only helped me learn the content but also improved my critical thinking,” she shared.

Caryl also did the same practice where she worked test-taking strategy, at least a hundred mock questions a day to know how to approach the question of the board exam.

“As for me, when I study, I read the concepts first, and along the way, I list down my own questions. Then, at the end of my readings, I create my summary of the whole concept as if I’m reporting or explaining it to someone else. I assessed my learning by answering my own listed questions based on my readings,” Caryl narrated.

But among the reading materials and the exam drills, Maria Paz, Hazel, and Caryl concurred that mental breaks should be part of the preparation.

“Watch your favorite series or movies, go out with your friends, or just spend time alone, away from your backlogs and stress. It would help you relax, which is very essential to maintain your well-being and keep your mind fresh,” Maria Paz said.

Other than their supportive family and friends, all three of them extended their gratitude to the VSU College of Nursing and their proficient clinical instructors, who prepared them to become competent but compassionate nurses in the real field.

Hazel also mentioned that there were a few strangers she would like to acknowledge who helped her in the most unexpected ways—her landlady, who generously gave her food and made sure she felt comfortable during her stay for the review and a random stranger who sat beside her in a van and offered to pay her fare from Tacloban to VSU.

“Na-touch pud ko adto. Na-realize nako nga katong mga acts of kindness nag-remind nako nga even when moments of doubts, naa juy mo-support around us bisan wa sila kahibaw,” she revealed.

[I was touched. I realized that those acts of kindness reminded me that even in moments of doubt, support will always be there without us realizing it.]

Plans after getting their licenses

Carly and Hazel are already processing their papers for work as they will be rendering their return service to the respective private hospitals that funded their scholarships during their senior year.

“I planned to be in the actual field as possible. Actually, I will be working in my home town in Tacloban since we have to render two years of return service since we applied as scholars back then when we were in our fourth year of college. In one of the private hospitals here. That way, my skills and knowledge about nursing would be enhanced since being actually immersed in the actual field gives you a broader sense of learning,” Caryl shared.

“I recently finished processing my requirements for employment at the Ormoc Doctors Hospital. As one of their scholars, I’m committed to fulfilling my return service, which will begin this December. I’m excited to finally start my career as a registered nurse and to contribute something to our community,” Hazel highlighted.

Maria Paz, on the other side, has not fully laid out her plans just yet, as she wanted to enjoy her rest after working and studying for the last four years. However, she is hoping to start working in a hospital next year so she can practice her profession and support her younger sister, who will be going to college by then.

Message to the Viscan community

Maria Paz, who confided that she never excelled in any subject and struggled to pass some of her major nursing courses, has shifted her mindset and pushed herself to greater heights. She noted that Viscans should always trust the process and embrace each challenge with a positive attitude. 

“Right now, you might feel lost, struggling just to pass or survive the day, but remember that every challenge is a stepping stone to your success. It’s not just about the hard work you put in, but about believing in yourself and finding strength in your faith.”

Hazel, who also has her fair share of struggles, including removal exams every semester, said that nothing is impossible to those who persevere and are determined to achieve something.

“You don’t have to be the best to achieve great things. During my time in college, I wasn’t top of my class. But look at me now; I was able to achieve something I thought was impossible. Believe in yourself. You are capable of greatness.”

She also added that Viscans should remain grounded since success is not only a personal achievement but rather a way to help others and make a positive impact. 

Meanwhile, Caryl emphasized appreciating every little achievement that Viscans make.

“Learn to give credit and commend yourself, whether it’s just baby steps or small achievements. They also deserved to be recognized, too. Your bigger achievements are tiny fragments of those baby steps—that big accomplishment would be nothing without those baby steps.”

This article aligns with Sustainable Development Goal No: 4 (Quality Education).