Section 29. Qualifications of Nursing Service Administrators. —

A person occupying supervisory or managerial positions requiring knowledge of nursing must:

1. Be a registered nurse in the Philippines;

2. Have at least two (2) years experience in general nursing service administration;

3. Possess a degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with at least nine (9) units in management and administration courses at the graduate level; and

4. Be a member of good standing of the accredited professional organization of nurses;

Provided, That a person occupying the position of chief nurse or director of nursing service shall, in addition to the foregoing qualifications, possess:

1. At least five (5) years of experience in a supervisory or managerial position in nursing; and

2. A master's degree major in nursing;

Provided, further, That for primary hospitals, the maximum academic qualifications and experiences for a chief nurse shall be as specified in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section: Provided, furthermore, That for chief nurses in the public health agencies, those who have a master's degree in public health/community health nursing shall be given priority. Provided, even further, That for chief nurses in military hospitals, priority shall be given to those who have finished a master's degree in nursing and the completion of the General Staff Course (GSC): Provided, finally, That those occupying such positions before the effectivity of this Act shall be given a period of five (5) years within which to qualify.