Purpose: Nurses play a significant role in maternal health. The nursing competency-based curriculum prepares students for this role. This study identified the competencies on safe motherhood expected of graduating nursing students, determined the degree of integration of these competencies in the curriculum, and described students' perceived levels of proficiency in performing said competencies. Design: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The authors deduced concepts and principles of safe motherhood in nursing based on the 2006 standard competencies. A complete enumeration of 55 graduating students of a college of nursing in a state university in Manila participated in the study. Methods: Students rated the competencies from A: “concepts were merely introduced” to D, “threaded through” in selected courses. The level of proficiency ranged from 1: “can perform well without supervision” to 4 “cannot perform despite supervision.” Ratings were analyzed using frequency counts, mode, and percentage distributions. Findings: Seventy competencies on safe motherhood were derived. Cognitive and affective competencies on the basic nursing processes were threaded through in foundation, intervention, and intensive nursing process courses. Students could perform the cognitive and affective competencies without supervision but required assistance in performance of skills. Conclusion The nursing curriculum prepares students to promote safe motherhood; however, students need to improve their clinical skills to be fully competent.
Education, Nursing

The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with societal and technological changes around the globe, demanded adaptations to nursing education. This educational case report is an idiographic narrative of an institution’s experience of shifting to flexible learning in nursing education in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various subjects, involving foundation, intervention, and intensive nursing courses, were implemented in flexible learning modes during the Academic Year 2020 to 2021. This case report identified how curricular integration and curricular redesign were carried out to ensure the achievement of BSN Program Outcomes. Faculty development on flexible learning was implemented with training outcomes to include the application of key concepts and instructional design principles toward flexible learning. Training outcomes were evaluated through embedded activities on course package development by the faculty participants. This case report also identified various teaching-learning strategies, and how they addressed emerging issues, including differences in technological competence and accessibility. The report highlighted how the college transitioned to flexible learning through curriculum integration and course redesign which has been effective and efficient in the achievement of educational outcomes. Appropriate training and guidance of the faculty to enable them to integrate and redesign courses, and address emerging issues and challenges, could help in the transition to flexible learning. Flexible learning is an effective pedagogical approach to implementing nursing education. Timely implementation of measures must be taken to ensure relevant and appropriate curricular integration and redesign of courses, and consequently, the nursing program.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is a necessary step in preparing a collaborative practice- ready health workforce that is better prepared to respond to local and global health needs. This study examined the status of IPE implementation in Asian nursing schools in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPR).

Descriptive online survey research design was utilized, supplemented by online interviews. Purposive sampling was done wherein nursing schools, colleges, and universities were invited to nominate a representative to serve as respondent in this study. Descriptive approach was used to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data.

A total of 29 Asian nursing schools participated in the survey. Majority (82.76%) of them stated that they have an IPE program or a similar activity. Interviews with the respondents revealed that not all IPE opportunities were part of a formal IPE program, but were embedded in the different learning activities of nursing students. A clear program focus served as one of the facilitators of IPE implementation. Identified barriers included insufficient administrative support and lack of trained faculty to implement IPE and related activities.

IPE is present in most Asian nursing schools in WPR. They may not exactly be called or recognized as IPE, but there is the existence of programs and activities that bring together health and non-health science students to learn from, about, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. It is recommended that massive formal training should be conducted so that educational institutions and their faculty will be equipped in developing more formal programs, facilitate activities, and monitor implementation and progress.

BACKGROUND: The School of Health Sciences (SHS), University of the Philippines Manila, established in 1976 offers a one-of-its kind ladder-type, community-based curriculum in health sciences.

OBJECTIVE: This study described the SHS curriculum and how it contributed to the transformative scale-up of the education of health professionals in the Philippines.

METHODS: This study is a concurrent transformative mixed method design. Data were collected concurrently through interviews of university officials, faculty, students, alumni, communities, and partners as well as observations of review classes and office activities. Quantitative data were collected from school records and performance ratings of students. From the data emerged the basic principles of primary health care and community-based education and they were juxtaposed to describe transformative learning of SHS students and faculty.

RESULTS: All of the 3,481 students admitted from 1976 came from geographically isolated and depressed areas; more than 95% of the graduates are still in the country and chose to serve the communities. The school's ladder-type, community-based curriculum produced competent midwives, nurses, and physicians. SHS did not just transform its students but also the faculty, communities, its partner local, national, and international agencies, and changed the landscape of community-based education in the region.

CONCLUSION: SHS produced health professionals who chose to serve the communities. It continues to evolve to institutionalize primary health care and community-based education.