CHED Technical Panel, RQAT review MMSU Master in Nursing Program
By Jedd Bryant Boado
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Technical Panel and Regional Quality Assessment Team (RQAT) conducted an on-site evaluation of the MMSU Master in Nursing (MN) program on May 12. The visit is part of the university’s application for the program’s Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC).
The team from CHED included Nursing Technical Evaluator Dr. Annabelle Borromeo, Nursing Technical Panel member Dr. Erlinda Palaganas, RQAT member Dr. Joel Estacio, CHED-RO1 Educational Supervisor II Dr. Maria Carmela Domocmat, and Senior Education Program Specialist Mr. John Paul Dela Cruz. They were welcomed at the FEM Hall by Vice President for Resource Generation and Management Bjorn Santos, who represented MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr.
During the meeting with the delegation, Dr. Santos showcased the achievements of the university's Nursing program over the years. He expressed hope that after CHED’s rigorous assessment, the MN program would obtain its COPC.
“We are very proud of our Nursing program because we have a competent faculty and have been recognized several times by the Professional Regulation Commission as one of the top nursing schools in the country. We believe that these achievements, as well as our complete requirements, are enough reasons for our MN program to receive its COPC,” Dr. Santos said.
After their courtesy call at FEM Hall, the team went to the MMSU Center for Flexible Learning for an opening program for their evaluation visit. They were received by MN program faculty, staff, and officials of the University Administrative Council, led by Vice President for Academic Affairs Aris Reynold Cajigal, who also represented Dr. Manzano.
During the program, Dr. Doreen Domingo, Dean of the Graduate School (GS), delivered a message welcoming CHED’s evaluators. She expressed openness to the panel’s review of the university’s MN program to enhance the degree offering for future students.
“We are very much willing for our MN program to be evaluated so that we can be granted a COPC. We are also grateful for the presence of CHED’s Technical Panel and RQAT, which will provide us recommendations on how to address our shortcomings and improve moving forward,” Dr. Domingo said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cajigal also delivered a message from Dr. Manzano. He remarked that if the MN Program receives its COPC, MMSU will be able to help in producing healthcare workers and educators who will improve the healthcare sector in the country and beyond.
“With a COPC from CHED, our MN Program would be able to contribute to the production of nurses and nursing educators who will serve with competence and compassion here and abroad,” Dr. Cajigal said.
Moreover, the Program Coordinator of the MN Program, Dr. Jonathan Laranang, presented a comprehensive overview of the program, its faculty’s academic qualifications, research initiatives, and clinical partnerships as part of CHED’s evaluation process.
Afterwards, the CHED Technical Panel and RQAT started evaluating the documents submitted by MMSU GS regarding the MN Program. They also visited the facilities and equipment that will be used for the program.
To cap the evaluation process, an exit conference was conducted by CHED’s Technical Panel and RQAT, which presented their findings and gave recommendations for the program to align with the standards under CHED Memorandum Order No. 15, series of 2019.
Once granted a COPC, the MN Program of MMSU will be able to teach aspiring students to become nurse leaders, managers, and researchers who advance evidence-based nursing practice.
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