Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (Mapúa MCL) has announced its major academic partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) to launch a globally aligned nursing program to address CALABARZON’s growing healthcare workforce shortage.
In 2013, Region IV-A CALABARZON recorded the highest nurse-to-patient ratio, with just one nurse attending to 7,963 people, higher than the national average of one nurse attending to 5,863 people. This alarming disparity underscores the urgent need to produce more well-trained health professionals in the region.
In response, Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna introduces its new College of Nursing curricula, developed in collaboration with Arizona State University, a globally recognized leader in health education and innovation. It was designed to produce globally competitive and practice-ready nursing professionals.
The said collaboration between the college and ASU enables the program to introduce international standards of Instruction, outcome-based education, and technological integration. The nursing program is enhanced by integrating cutting-edge learning models, global immersion opportunities, and exposure to the latest patient simulation labs and virtual tools like AI-based diagnostics, virtual reality settings, and telemedicine training modules that are critical to modern nursing education.
“This disparity speaks volumes on the scarcity of nurses in this region. There are several factors that can be considered, including population concentration, healthcare setups, and, of course, the migration of nurses seeking opportunities abroad or in other regions,” said Nurse Cecille Barrera, a full-time faculty member at the Mapúa MCL College of Nursing.
“Mapúa MCL plays a crucial role in addressing this disparity. Its nursing program can ease solutions to the challenge by producing well-trained healthcare professionals, especially nurses, who work in partnership with healthcare facilities and regional hospitals in the area to improve healthcare education and training,” she added.
Furthermore, the program will train nursing students to develop critical thinking, ethical standards, and leadership skills and the Flexible Learning Ubiquitous Experience (FLUX) method– an instructional approach that combines physical and online learning wherein students can attend class via face-to-face, synchronous, and asynchronous classroom setups. Additionally, the program also boasts of its state-of-the-art facilities that offer complete, cohesive, and hands-on learning experiences to students.
Training job-ready Health Professionals
Alongside its competitive curriculum and reputable clinical instructors, another feature that sets Mapúa MCL College of Nursing’s collaboration with ASU apart is its Global Classroom. The Global Classroom connects nursing students with professors and classmates from overseas, enabling them to attend the same class in real time. This exposes them to global healthcare education and helps expand their international perspective, training them to be more globally competitive.
For Nurse Barrera, this kind of exposure to different cultures is critical to a healthcare professional as it makes them more efficient and elevates their quality of care. “It is important for them to be knowledgeable, especially with clinical expertise, leadership skills, adaptability, especially with cultural awareness, because it is highly important for them to understand and provide high-quality care across different healthcare systems in the world, focusing on cultural context,” she elaborated.
Mapúa MCL College of Nursing offers exceptional health education and has forged powerful collaboration with ASU. This program is dedicated to producing job-ready nurse graduates equipped with skills that meet global healthcare standards.
Through strong industry alliances and internationally recognized credentials, the graduates are empowered to embrace diverse, competitive, and highly sought-after career opportunities in the industry. This includes careers in critical care, emergency room (ER), occupational health, pediatrics, geriatrics, oncology, cardiac surgery, and even health education.
“In light of the significant shortage of nurses in our region, across the Philippines, and around the world, our Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates are poised to excel and carve out a brilliant path in their careers. Every facet of the nursing field stands ready to embrace our graduates, helping to bridge the gap in our nurse shortage. We are dedicated to producing exceptional graduates to meet this vital need.,” she explained.
As CALABARZON and the nation work to address the ongoing healthcare talent shortage, Mapúa MCL’s nursing program stands as a significant initiative aimed at strengthening the future of the region’s healthcare system—powered by a new generation of highly skilled, world-ready nurses.
| Photo Courtesy: Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna | DR., BChannel NEWS
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