By Ian Zane T. Esparaga | March 3, 2021
“If the students decide or the parent does not allow the student to do face-to-face, this student will still be able to continue with the course without prejudice to readmission, otherwise the student would be given the chance to complete the course at another point in time,” Dr. Theresa Guino-o, SUCN Dean, said during the parents’ orientation held recently.
Silliman University College of Nursing (SUCN) held a parents’ orientation on the gradual re-opening of campuses of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) for the limited face-to-face classes of selected health-related degree programs.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Health (DOH) signed the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001 issued for compliance for all HEI’s intending to conduct face-to-face classes last February 10.
The planned face-to-face delivery are delimited to specialized laboratory courses or hospital-based clinical clerkship, internship, or practicum. As instructed, these guidelines will be implemented after the signing last month.
“It is instructed that these guidelines will be implemented immediately after the signing of February. However, this cannot be implemented immediately without certain preparations,” Dr. Guino-o said.
The implementation is subject to compliance with different guidelines from the Inter-Agency Task Force, DOH, Local Government Unit, CHED, and other relevant government agencies.
“At a certain point in time there might be changes from all these offices and that would mean that we will have to re-align the implementation depending on the new guidelines that will be coming out,” Dr. Guino-o said.
Among the DOH Minimum Public Health Standards includes the regular wearing of Personal Protective Equipment. Sanitation stations will be deployed in different areas of the university. Staggered scheduling will also be implemented as five to six students are only allowed inside the room based on the guidelines.
SUCN dean reiterated that it will be difficult to start immediately as there will be several inspections to be made by the different agencies before getting a permit to start the face-to-face classes.
Based on the CHED technical panel on nursing education, these guidelines will have to be conducted and they are required. The students will have to be able to do the skills that are to be conducted in the limited face-to-face.
The HEI, nursing student and health facility shall sign a deed of undertaking or informed consent. Apart from that, the student must submit a letter of undertaking and voluntary participation in the limited face-to-face delivery of the program as a requirement for course progress and graduation.
Other implications include students who are 21 years old and above must have Philhealth Insurance. Students from outside the province will be considered as LSI and must coordinate with the university or the city tourism office to facilitate the entry.
The students are also encouraged to stay in the university dormitories to avoid public exposure. As of the moment, Channon Hall and Davao Cottage are accredited by the City IATF. Dormitory accommodation is limited and will be on a first-come-first-served basis.
