CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines—The celebration continues for Ma. Rochelle V. Candido, SSU nursing alumna, who brought honor and pride to Samar State University (SSU) by placing fifth during the November 2024 Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination (PNLE). This is the third consecutive time that SSU’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS) produced a topnotcher for the nursing boards.
Out of the 34,534 candidates, Candido proved to be the cream of the crop by attaining an impressive 91.60% rating, leading SSU’s cohort of 53 newly registered nurses. Candido dedicates this success to her late father, keeping the promise she made to earn her license, “Promise ko ine kan Tatay.” (I promised this to my father.)
Candido, 23 and a native of Catbalogan City, said that the path towards the most coveted spot in the nursing boards was initially a big struggle for her. Considering the track record of CONHS in producing topnotchers, she couldn’t help but feel pressured.
“Two consecutive years na kasi may topnotchers an CONHS ansya napa-isip ako kun kaya ko ba? Kaya ko ba ma-sundan since may mga nag-eexpect ha akon,” Candido recalled.
(CONHS has been producing topnotchers for two years, so I kept wondering if I could make it. There were people who had high expectations for me.)
The pressure intensified during her review months as she faced many lows while preparing for the examination.
“Nag-breakdown talaga ako. (I had a breakdown.) The review season really humbled me. During post-tests, it felt like I didn’t learn anything. I had low scores.”
However, Candido knew that every ounce of tears and sacrifice would be worth it. During her difficult moments as an aspirant, she would always tell herself, “Kada adlaw may chance ako mag-improve.” (Every day I have a chance to improve.)
In all these, grit and discipline are what kept her going. She mentioned that her only secret to acing the exam was doing advanced readings and practice questions.
“Since high school, na-build ko na an akon study habits. (I already built my own study habits.) After class, I do advanced readings. Nadara ko ine hiya until college. (I brought this with me into college.) [I read in advance] especially for difficult topics like medical-surgical nursing.”
Candido revealed this to be her strategy back in her university days to ensure that she is always prepared for surprise quizzes, which is common in nursing school. She also expressed that her training at SSU came in handy during the preparations and exam proper.
“CONHS really built my discipline. One of my memorable moments are the intense quizzes. Twenty five items tapos five to ten minutes la, tapos shading pa. Nakabulig ine hiya during the board exam since time-pressured an exam, nasanay kami na malaksi mag-answer.”
(We used to answer 25 items for five to ten minutes only through shading at that. This type of training helped me during the board exam.)
Drawing from her own experience, Candido trusts that all aspiring tradesmen who are and will be preparing for the PNLE will be able to attain their dreams through prayer, hard work, and self-trust.
“Read, pray, and always believe and trust in yourself. Trust the Lord and His plans, especially during times that you feel like giving up. It is only through Him that you can redeem your strength. And trust that you can make it no matter what.” –Ma. Rochelle V. Candido (PNLE Nov. 2024 Top 5)