Ben Madilynn
FILIPINO nurses are sought after globally not just by the profession but because of their admirable working qualities, incredible passion, and dedication to their profession.
However, due to insufficient compensation, the nation’s healthcare sector is at risk of paralyzing its own with local nursing professionals preferring to work abroad.
This prompted the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to launch a short-term master’s program in nursing in a bid to address the lack of nursing instructors in the country after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the department to come up with “concrete” measures to address the shortage of nurses, which badly impacts the delivery of effective healthcare in the country.
The Cebu Normal University (CNU) is among the 17 schools in the country to pilot the Master in Nursing Education (MNE) program, creating a one-year program for the MNE which is usually obtained for two years.
“We are in shortage now of nursing professionals and educators. We may be producing more registered nurses, but if we cannot also produce nursing educators who will teach and mentor our future students, this might contribute to further shortage of nursing professionals,” CNU University President Dr. Daniel Ariaso.
Like any other nursing student, one of their goals is to work abroad due to greener pastures, but this program positively gained motivation for Cherlene Pocong, 22, who is currently a fourth-year nursing student at South Western University Phinma in Cebu City.
“That’s nice because it will just be a year, and the tuition wasn’t that expensive. For me, their offer now is really good because it’s great to have a master’s degree to advance your rank and earn a higher salary. Cebu Normal University is really great, maybe I’ll take my master’s there in the future,” Pocong responded in Cebuano.
“CNU is really known for its excellent nursing program. It’s really good that they’re going to offer masters,” Pocong added.
One-year MNE
On Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, Ariaso announced CNU’s new MNE program as the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (CNAHS), is “very much prepared, ready and competent to offer this program.”
The program offers a unique blended learning format and recognizes prior learning through RPL. Students will complete 10 courses, including practical experience and teaching demonstrations.
The tuition for the one-year program is affordable at P28,180.
Interested applicants can submit their online applications until Sept. 18. The entrance exam will be scheduled after the application.
P1.9 billion budget cut
However, Ariaso did not deny that CNU is facing challenges in internet access and teaching modalities but emphasized his commitment to CNU’s smart university through the help of congressional insertions.
SunStar Cebu previously reported that the Department of Budget and Management proposed a budget cut of over P1.9 billion for CNU for the academic year 2025.
If approved, this could mean a delay for CNU’s priority infrastructure projects, including campus expansion and renovations, by at least another year, but Ariaso emphasized his commitment to CNU’s smart university through the help of congressional insertions.
The University of the Philippines and Cebu Normal University (CNU) are set to collaborate on the MNE program. The two universities will finalize the details of their partnership on Sept. 11.
The collaboration will allow UP to contribute to the program and potentially increase its capacity to over 100 students. The program will combine online lectures with in-person clinical experience.
CNU will also recognize prior learning for practicing nurses.
“When I assumed as a president, my immediate plan was really to make sure that CNU is attuned with technological advancement,” Ariaso stressed. / CDF
