A study that attempts to fill in the gap between the adapted instructional delivery during the height of the pandemic and its impact towards the performance of student nurses in hospitals was the recent entry of young researchers from Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) – Valenzuela Campus’ College of Nursing (CON) that emerged champion during a recently concluded national conference.
Eight nursing students from the college powerhouse masterminded the study entitled “Impact of Hybrid Learning on the Preparedness to Work on Hospital Duty Among Select Filipino Nursing Students in a Higher Educational Institution” that was named Best Research Poster Presentation during the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing (ADPCN) 21st National Conference for Nursing Students on 15 October 2023 at The Manila Hotel.
The winning team was composed of fourth-year nursing students: Leigh Hannah Louise Hechanova as the lead author, along with his co-proponents namely Bryan Cortezano, Andrea Elizha Hilario, Nikki Dominique Salao, Stefanie Angel Demonteverde, Joshua Angeles, and Dante Fonacier Jr.
The Fatimanian researchers bested 120 semifinalists from different nursing institutions in the research poster category.
Observing the significant transformation of nursing students due to the hybrid learning environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers corroborated the impact of the modified setup on the readiness of student nurses to handle hospital duties.
With 200 research participants across year levels from a higher institution in Valenzuela City, two different online survey forms were employed as the data gathering instruments.
As a result, “the study found that hybrid learning positively impacts the readiness of nursing students for hospital duties.” This is backed by another finding of the paper that suggested the substantial correlation between interactions and technology to equip students with pivotal clinical exposure.
It is worth mentioning that before the pandemic dramatically hit the academe in 2020, OLFU had already integrated the exact pedagogy in its nursing education, maximizing the state-of the-art Simulation Center that houses first-class stations including an operating room theater, an obstetric training unit, neonatal care and pediatric care units, intensive care units, and other medical care facilities that service students in training their clinical functions – diagnosis and treatment for medicine, and in providing patient care for nursing.
For the paper to contribute a substantial body of recommendation towards nursing education and nursing excellence in general, the young researchers acknowledge the expertise of faculty-advisers Sharon Cajayon and Gerardo Nicolas who played a critical role in the production of the study responsive to the needs of the times.
Six faculty papers, five investigated by OLFU Antipolo and one produced by OLFU Valenzuela, were also recognized as semifinalists in another category. – Raymond Lumagsao
