The newly published Commission of Higher Education (CHED) CMO No. 14 Series of 2009  (April 28, 2009) is concern with Policies And Standards For Bachelor Of Science In Nursing (BSN) Program, it emphasizes the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum is a competency-based and community-oriented curriculum in the Philippines.

The nurse must be competent in the following Key Areas of Responsibility for which a nurse should demonstrate competence in Safe and quality nursing care, Management of resources and environment, Health education, Legal responsibility, Ethico-moral responsibility, Personal and professional development, Quality improvement, Research, Record Management, Communication, Collaboration and teamwork.

This CHED CMO No. 14 has again some difference with CMO No. 5 s. 2008 in terms of third and fourth year subjects. With CHED CMO No. 14, students shall choose at least two Electives [Elective 1 and 2] to complete the BS Nursing Program.

Elective 1 is taken in the 3^rd Year 2nd Semester. Choices for Elective I are Parent-Child Nursing, Spiritual Care Nursing, and Hospice Palliative Care.

Elective 2 is taken in the 4th Year, 1st Semester. Choices for Elective II are Acute/Critical Care Nursing, Quality Health Care and Nursing, and Care of the Chronically ill and the Older Person. In addition, an Intensive Nursing Practicum subject during the 4^th year corresponds to 8 units of clinical work.

CHED CMO No. 14 still mandates a 4-year curriculum for nursing.

Effectivity of CHED CMO No. 14 states that Higher Education Institutions [HEIS] that opted to implement CMO no. 30 s. 2001 shall allow their students to the finish BSN curriculum under CMO no. 30 s. 2001. Those HEIS that opted to implement CMO no. 5 s. 2008 during the SY 2008-2009 shall allow their students to graduate under CMO no. 14 s. 2009. CHED CMO No. 14 shall take effect starting school year 2009-2010, fifteen (15) days after its publication in the official gazette or in a newspaper of national circulation.

1. Fundamentals of Nursing (8th edition) By Barbara Kozier et al.

I consider it as the bible of nursing fundamentals. It is very appropriate for beginning students of nursing because of simple words used and detailed explanations of nursing skills. It has useful tables and case studies for easy learning. From first year to 4th year Kozier’s textbook is used.

2. Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family: 5th Edition, Adele Pillitteri

This is a book about pregnancy from fertilization to growth and development of the child. It is reader friendly at the same time, nursing care is within the framework of nursing process as presented for maternal and child conditions. For easy understanding, there are illustrations and diagrams presented. Case studies do abound to make one practice doing nursing care plans.

3. Nursing Practice in the Community. 4th ed., Maglaya. AS. etal., Nangka, Marikina City. Argonauta Corp.
4. Community Health Nursing Service in the Philippines (DOH), Reyala, JP et al. National League of Government Nurses. 2007.

The BSN nursing curriculum aside from being competency based, is very much concern with practice of nursing in the community, These two books will guide the student nurse in doing Community Organizing Participatory Action Research (COPAR) and it will introduce public health nursing as practiced in the Philippines. It is being used from second year to 4th year.

5. Brunner and Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing, 11th Edition (2 Volumes in 1)

This is also “must have book” since it will introduce you to medical and surgical nursing which I think is still the bulk of nursing questions in exams local or foreign. It’s framework is the nursing process. This will really help in harnessing your skill in assessment and doing nursing diagnosis, because this explains the etiology and pathophysiology of diseases.

Plus 2 books you should have

1. Nurse’s Pocket Guide : Diagnosis, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationale by: DOENGES MOORHOUSE MURR

This reference book will guide your way in making the nursing care plan for your clients in related learning experience (RLE) duties in the various health settings you will be assigned. This is a big help in mastering the nursing process.

2. Any review book series such as Saunders, Lippincott or Mosby

This will serve as a guide you can bring along during your RLE rotations. It’s for quick reference and to push you to start in reviewing for the board exams .It is usually presented in outline form, brief concise and there are review questions at the end of chapters. This format will help you be acquainted with multiple typed questions. You should have this even if you are in second year.

1. Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing Batch 2008 had two graduates who garnered 5th and 14^th place in the November 2008 Nursing Board Exams.
2.  Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing has one of the lowest tuition fees among the universities here in Pasay and Manila. First year is within the range of 15 -16 K. 2^nd year at  26-27. 10 % discount is given to those who pays the full tuition fee.
3.  Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing is offering all subjects this first semester from NCM 100, 101, 102,104, and NCM 105, including minor subjects. Class size range from 30 to 40 students per section. All rooms are air-conditioned. If you are a transferee or “second courser”, this will be beneficial for you.
4.  Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing affiliated hospitals  for the Related Learning Experience are Medical City, Mary Johnson Hospital, Fort Bonifacio Hospital, National Orthopedic Hospital, Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Medical Center, Quirino Labor Hospital,  and various lying in and health centers.
5.  Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing boasts of Doctors and Masters degree – prepared faculty members . Nursing competencies are updated through faculty seminars and completion of post-graduate degree. Clinical practice of each faculty is at least 3 years to 10 years here and abroad.

 Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing is located along Taft Avenue, just a few meters away from the station of LRT Line 1 on Gil J. Puyat Avenue. Beside  AU Pasay are terminal of buses plying the routes to key towns in Laguna and Batangas. Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing is generally accessible to public transportation of Manila, Makati, Paranaque, Las Pinas, Taguig, Montalban and suburban Cavite.

Classes start on June 15, 2009.

Contact Number 833-47-28. The current dean of Arellano University Pasay College of Nursing is Ms.Arlene Blaise T. Cortez, RN,MAN. EdD.

Keeping in touch has never been easier on mobile and web

Many of my friends who are members of different social network sites have invited me many times to join them. Now, I am inviting them to join me at mysandbox.com, my first social network to join ever.

Sandbox is a network community that has lots of component like social network aspect, blogging platform, and photo / video uploads and an online content store where one can download games and music.Mobile blogging (moblogging) through your cell phone is an added feature.

There is a promo ongoing for free coffee and glazed donuts from Krispy Kreme when you sign up. Join and be prepared for free Krispy Kreme coffee and glazed donuts!

Lets blog and share stories at mysandbox.com

Over the last 4 years (2005-2008) 190,903 Filipinos became registered nurses here in the Philippines. For these Filipino nurses they are in need of clinical training, to hone their skills, however employment seem so evasive in most medical centers and hospitals both public and private. For employment abroad, one of the qualifications would be to have hospital experience in a specified bed capacity hospital. For many, attending seminars and trainings would suffice for now but these nurse trainings have registration fees .Several Philippine nursing organizations and institutions accredited by the PNA conduct seminars and training to increase the level of competencies of these nurses. These are

• Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF SEMINARS July – December 2009
• Renal Nurses Association of the Philippines (RENAP)
• Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines (ORNAP )
• Critical Care Nursing Organization of the Philippines Inc. (CCNAPI) October to December 2009 Trainings

The PNA sponsored seminars cost may range from 300 to 600 Php and conducted from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at PNA Auditorium, Philippine Nurses Association, Inc.,1663 F.T. Benitez Street, Malate, Manila.

Visit the website of the different Philippine nursing organizations for the latest listings of trainings and seminars.

I will be a voter in May 2010, including my two children aged 18 and 19 y/o. They will be first time voters and this is significant since it is a presidential election and at the same time if it will push through, the first national automated election.

One of the legacies my Dad left us was the importance of voting. He would be at the election precinct by 6:30 AM to cast his vote. Months before election time, he would buy all the newspapers everyday to read about candidates and politics. I remember politicians going house to house to shake hands with the tenants. It was the time of Marcos, Osmena, the Plaza Miranda bombings, Ninoy Aquino and Jovito Salonga. He had conversations with my uncles while I was at his side, and they would talk about politics every night and would listen to them.

Being educated at UP kept me abreast with politics and that I need to be involved on how this government will be for me and my children, The basic involvement I think that one needs to do to help the government is to pay our taxes and vote in elections.

Let us be involved, cast our vote, and vote wisely in May 2010!

Visit Bagong Botante, a COMELEC sponsored site for your questions about the 2010 elections.

The essence of being a woman is motherhood. From Day 1 to Day 252, she carries her child in her womb, though sometimes it becomes uncomfortable or at times, she may be in the brink of death in the course of her pregnancy.

Conceiving, and giving birth is considered as a natural thing for women , are bodies are designed to carry and eventually nourish our babies.

But why do 230 women die for every 100,000 live births in the Philippines (WHO , 2008)? It means that 230 babies in every 100,000 babies born alive will be motherless and will be left to the care of a surrogate mother. These mothers die due to complications related to childbirth.

I am glad I am still here for my children to celebrate Mother’s day. Its my 20th year of
celebrating mother’s day. My own mother is celebrating her 49th year of being a mother. Like me, she has not stopped on being a mother to us her children though we have our own families to care for.

To the other mothers who may be biological mothers, adoptive mothers, or foster mothers, this is our day. We just cannot stop caring and nurturing our children in their life journey. May God always bless us give us good health and peaceful life with our children.

Whatever the celebration, it’s more beautiful with Red Ribbon ! Yes Red Ribbon cakes, have always been a part of our birthdays, weddings, Christmas , graduations and other festivities. Red ribbon cakes are not only for blowing your birthday candles but are also popular as gifts , token of appreciation , get-well greetings or just saying I am sorry.

There is  a new Red Ribbon cake,  Cookies and Cream with Oreo, it has cookie chunks, with layers of vanilla and chocolate chiffon and very creamy. On top of the creamy icings are delightful Oreo cookies.

Another to watch out for is their Chocolate Marble loaf. A rich buttery pound cake with luscious chocolate swirls, every bite is special.  Perfect to take home as “pasalubong” be as a whole loaf or slices.

Aside from cakes and pastries, new meal offerings are the Improved 100% All Beef Salisbury Steak And Creamy Carbonara.

Salisbury steak is generously topped with rich mushroom gravy sauce with, creamy mashed potato, buttered corn, and carrots sidings

Red Ribbon Carbonara, with chicken, bacon, mushrooms, cheese and premium spices, topped with parsley, shaved parmesan cheese and bacon bits. Also with new side bread and herbs

I am glad one of my clinics is near a Red Ribbon branch, at Taft avenue, corner Pedro Gil St. For sure will always drop by for their cakes and pastries to take home.