Text by Floreliz Nagaya-An
CHED TPNE Chair MIlabel Ho, PRC BON Carmelita Divinagracia, UPCN Dean Sheila Bonito, CHED OPSD John Paul dela Cruz, and faculty from UPCN and UPOU (Arnold Peralta, Floreliz Ngaya-an, Aldin Gaspar, and Ria Valerie Cabanes) together with the representatives from selected nursing schools who will offer MNE program
Recognizing the pressing need for qualified nursing educators, the University of the Philippines College of Nursing (UPCN), together with the University of the Philippines Open University Faculty of Management and Development Studies (UPOU-FMDS), worked with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in conducting a training workshop aimed at selected institutions offering the new Master in Nursing Education (MNE) program. This is in response to the increasing demand for masters-prepared faculty in nursing education and to involve nurses with extensive clinical experience who seek to advance their qualifications but face barriers such as program length, thesis requirements, and financial constraints. This initiative aligns with UPCNs role as the CHED Center of Excellence and the World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHOCC) for Leadership in Nursing Development addressing the challenges and trailblazing in nursing education.
The Master in Nursing Education (MNE) Program is a professional degree program expected to address the lack of qualified faculty members to teach in the BSN program. Increasing the production of nurse graduates is viewed as a solution to staffing crises in the country’s different healthcare facilities and worldwide. The MNE program aims to provide nurses with the necessary knowledge base and hands-on experience in teaching Nursing and prepare them for the faculty role of delivering quality nursing education. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Technical Panel for Nursing Education (TPNE) worked on the issuance of CHED CMO No. 5, s. 2024- Policies, Standards, and Guidelines for Master in Nursing Education to guide the implementation of the program in the country. Select nursing schools, mostly CHED Centers of Excellence and Development (COEs and CODs) with high levels of accreditation in quality assurance systems, were identified to pilot the MNE program.
UPCN, together with UPOU-FMDS, was tasked to conduct the training of nursing schools that are going to implement the new MNE program. This training involved development of course outcomes and syllabi development for the MNE courses. The training workshop was attended by representatives from 16 institutions that have been granted permission to offer the MNE program in the Philippines. Dr. Milbael Ho, chair of CHED TPNE opened the curricular activity with the background and rationale for the development of the MNE Program which is the first in the country. Dr. Sheila Bonito, member of CHED TPNE and Dean of UPCN, discussed the curriculum design framework which served as the basis for its program structure. Asst. Prof. Arnold Peralta, head of the UPCN Teaching Program, moderated the sessions. The training workshop included articulation of the program outcomes, which allowed the participants to analyze and translate this to relevant topics and course requirements. Challenges were identified such as course content to achieve the set course outcomes, teaching-learning activities for the credited hours for related learning experiences of the students, and the corresponding course requirements. Scholarship opportunities were also presented by Director Corinna Frances Cabanilla, Director IV, CHED Local Graduate Scholarship Office (LGSO).
The MNE program is set to be offered in the first semester of the current academic year. Through the collaborative efforts of CHED, UP, and selected CHED Centers of Excellence and Development, the MNE program aims to pave the way for future faculty members who will meet the growing educational demands in nursing.
