By Joseph Pimentel
DECEMBER 14, 2007
Asianjournal.com
Pinay Appointed to Nevada Board of Nursing
LAS VEGAS, NV — Filipino-American Belen
on the issues.”
Gabato became the first Filipina nurse to ever
She said that the Philippine Nurses
be appointed by the Governors Office in the
Association of Las Vegas boasts more than
State of Nevada as a member of the Nevada
400 members. The organization is also aligned
Board of Nursing. She is also the first Asian to
with the larger nationwide Philippine Nurses
get the post.
Association of America to continue to promote
Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons will induct
professional excellence and contribute to
Gabato officially to the Nevada Board of
significant outcomes to healthcare and
Nursing at a special ceremony in Las Vegas on
society.
December 14.
Tough task
Originally from Cebu City, Gabato said that
As one of the seven members of the Nevada
this is the culmination of a career that started
State Board of Nursing, Gabato has a large task
more than 40 years ago. And to think, when
ahead. She will be part of the governing board
she moved to Las Vegas with her husband, Dr.
that is responsible for protecting the public’s
Manuel Gabato in the 1990’s, she wanted to
health, safety and welfare through effective
pursue a different profession.
nursing regulation.
“I wanted to be a showgirl,” Gabato joked in
“The Board’s mission is to insure the public
a recent interview with the Asian Journal.
her life. gets safe, effective quality care. It’s not to
Seriously, Gabato said “I’m thankful for
In the early 90’s, she along with four of protect nurses or doctors,” she said. “It’s not a
Governor Gibbons for recognizing that and
her friends founded the Philippine Nurses board for nurses. We are here for the public. We
believing in diversity. It’s important to have
Association of Las Vegas. have to uphold regulations, and disciplinary
different points of views and reflect the
She admitted that starting an organization actions. We have to make sure that nurses
constituents of the community where we have
from the ground up was difficult. know what they are doing and the public will
a diverse population.”
“Nobody joined,” she said. “Naturally, get the care they deserve.”
“I think [her appointment is] long overdue,”
everyone wanted to know why they should “There is an increased responsibility
added her husband Dr. Manuel Gabato. “There
join. I told them that, ‘if they joined that I’d because it deals with people’s careers,
are so many Filipino nurses in Nevada, they
give them a pencil,’ I’d be lying. But I told them reputation, the public rights for safe care,” she
should be represented by one of their own.”
[nurses] that there might be issues in the added. “ I have to make sure that I look at all
Nurse activist
future that they might be concerned with and the angles of a situation and be fair, objective
Gabato has been a nurse advocate and
need to pay attention to.” and responsive.”
leader since her days in Cebu City, Philippines.
Gabato said nothing happened for two One key issue that she continues to fight for
She studied at the Southern Island Hospital
years. is the State’s nurse to patient ratio.
school of Nursing and received her Bachelor
Then in 1993, a nursing bill floated around Nevada ranks last in the nation in the
of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the
the Nevada State Congress. The bill would number of nurses per 100,000 people. A 2005
Southwestern University in Cebu City. In
have allowed Canadian nurses the ability to be Medical Education Council of Nevada (MECON)
college, her peers voted her president of the
a nurse in Nevada without having to take the University of Nevada School of Medicine study
student council. When she took her Philippine
state’s licensing exam to practice nursing. revealed that there are 548 licensed Registered
board of nursing exam, Gabato placed fifth in
“We thought this was unfair,” she recalls. Nurses (RN’s) per 100,000 people in the state of
the whole country.
Gabato said that members of the Philippine Nevada. The number is way below the national
“She’s always been a very smart woman,”
Nurses Association started a petition, rallying average of 782 per 100,000 people.
said Dr. Manuel.
other nurses who opposed the bill. They began “We [Nevada] still don’t have a nurse to
In 1964, she went to the US under an
to work with the State’s Board of Nursing and patient ratio,” she said. “We have tried to
exchange visitors program. She relocated and
other Nevada Nurses organizations. Gabato work on a nurse/ patient ratio bill to pattern
became a nurse at a hospital in Chicago, Illinois.
also wrote a position paper and testified in ourselves from California for a couple years
While in Chicago, she continued her studies
front of the Nevada State Congress against the now [but] our bill has never made it out of
teaching at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital and
bill. committee.”
pursued a graduate degree.
“They [the state legislators] killed it,” she said “That’s a bill that we will continue to support
Once her husband, finished his training as a
proudly. “We didn’t say that they [Canadian and again bring to the State legislators,” she
doctor at Cook County Hospital, they moved
nurses] couldn’t come [practice nursing in added.
to Indiana and started a private practice.
Nevada] that just they have to take the test like Gabato said that she’s taking her role as a
“It was small townish,” she said about living
everyone else.” member of the board very seriously. She knows
in Indiana. “You knew everybody, you saw
This was the first of many victories. Not that her leadership is being counted on not
everybody, and you knew all the teachers. I
only was it significant because the Philippine only by the community for better healthcare
liked it but my husband got tired of the winter
Nurses Association helped defeat the bill but other Filipino nurses who look up to her.
weather.”
but also State politicians recognized that the “There are so many of us now,” she said. “I
In 1990 the couple moved to Las Vegas and
organization had political clout. hope this [my appointment] will continue to
began another medical practice. Gabato ran
Gabato said, “That got the ball rolling. Now open the doors for other Filipino nurses to be
the office learning about insurance, Medicare,
through the years, we’ve partnered with the considered for this Board or other positions
HMO and Medicaid.
Board of Nursing, appeared before them, of political power. This could break the glass
Nursing, however, continued to be part of
supported or not supported them depending ceiling for us.” (AJ)
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