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The Comparative Analysis of Philippines Nursing Curriculum of the CMO No. 14

series 2009 and CMO No. 15 series 2017 with the Selected International
Curriculum in Relation to Equiva...

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 The Comparative Analysis of Philippines Nursing Curriculum of the CMO No. 14 series
2009 and CMO No. 15 series 2017 with the Selected International Curriculum in Relation
to Equivalency or Recognition

Larry Terence O. Cornejo

St. Paul University System – Manila

Abstract:
This paper is a discussion of the similarities and differences in nursing curriculum of the
Philippines CMO no. 14 series 2009 and CMO No. 15 series 2017 with international nursing
education program of the selected International Nursing Curriculum and appeal to integrate into
international equivalency and recognition. The nursing curriculum of National University of
Singapore has no General Education being offered due to the Singapore educational system. While
the CMO No. 14 series 2009 and CMO No.15 series 2017 both offering the 4 years baccalaureate
nursing curricular program with the total units of 202 for CMO No.14 s2009 and the 192 units for
CMO No.15 s2017 standardize the regulatory frameworks and properly benchmark the curriculum
that align with the learning outcomes and competencies of their own country’s nursing curriculum
with the partner country and a creation of joint body to ensure that the nursing graduates will have
the necessary competencies to allow to practice and employed globally. A strong curriculum plan
and strategies can be reach and empower the learning experiences and opportunities of the learner
internationally.

Keywords: Curriculum. Nursing Curricula, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Commission on

Higher Education Memorandum Order (CHED), Policy, Standards, and Guidelines.

INTRODUCTION
Nursing curriculum in global setting is facing a number of complex issues, partly because
societal changes in global healthcare settings that affect the professional nurse in practice. In this
paper, we are going to discuss the Nursing curriculum of the Philippines, and Singapore as a
selected international nursing curriculum. Within the context of the Philippines society, The
nurse should demonstrate and assume, according to the Commission on Higher Education (2009),
the caring role and as its foundation, in the promotion and restoration of health, prevention of

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diseases, alleviation of suffering and when recovery is not possible, in assisting patients towards a
peaceful death. The nurse also collaborates with other members of the health team and other sectors
to achieve quality healthcare, especially, while working with the individuals, families, population
groups, communities and society, as a whole, in ensuring active participation in the delivery of
holistic healthcare. The Registered nurses (RNs), in the context of Singapore Board of Nursing,
utilise evidence-based nursing knowledge and professional nursing judgement to assess health
needs, provide nursing care, educate clients and support individuals to manage their health
holistically. They practise in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. They are
accountable for their scope of practice including the supervision and delegation of nursing
activities to the enrolled nurses and nursing assistants. RNs may practise in a variety of clinical
contexts depending on their education preparation and practice experience (Singapore Nursing
Board, 2018).

METHODOLOGY
The methods to be used is to compare the similarities and differences of nursing education
program or curriculum of the Philippines CMO No. 14 series of 2009 and CMO No. 15 series of
2017 with selected International Nursing curriculum program, such as, the Country of Singapore,
the National University of Singapore, and to generate a cross-sectional analysis in relation to
international equivalency or recognition.

Philippines Nursing Curriculum Outline

Curriculum. The Higher Education Institutions offering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Program must conform to the Standard curriculum embodied in the CMO, provided that program
innovations shall be subject to prior review by the Commission (CHED, 2009).

Table 1. Summary Curriculum Outline of Philippines CMO No. 14 series of 2009

Subjects Area Units
General Education 87
• Language and Humanities (21)
• Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technology (22)
• Health Sciences (9)
• Social Sciences (15)
• Mandated Subjects (20)
Professional Courses 115

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 • Theoretical Foundation in Nursing (3)
• Health Assessment (2/1*)
• Community Health Nursing (3/2*)
• Nutrition and Diet Therapy (3/1)
• Health Education (3)
• Pharmacology (3)
• Nursing Research I (2/1)
• Nursing Research II (2)
• Competency Appraisal I (3)
• Competency Appraisal II (3)
• Elective I (2)
• Elective II (2)
• NCM 100 – Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (3/2*)
• NCM 101 – Care of Mother, Child and Family (4/4*)
• NCM 102 – Care of Mother, Child, Family and Population Group At-Risk or with
Problems (5/6*)
• NCM 103 – Care of Clients with Problems in Oxygenation, Fluid and Electrolytes
Balance, Metabolism and Endocrine (6/6*)
• NCM 104 - Care of Clients with Problems in Inflammatory and Immunologic
Response, Perception and Coordination (5/4*)
• NCM 105 – Care of Clients with Maladaptive Patterns of Behavior (4/2*)
• NCM 106 - Care of Clients with Problems in Cellular Aberrations, Acute
Biologic Crisis including Emergency and Disaster Nursing (6/5*)
• NCM 107 – Nursing Leadership and Management (6/5*)
• Intensive Nursing Practicum (8*)
*Related Learning Experience
TOTAL 202

Table 2. CMO No. 14 series 2009 Summary of Curriculum Outline of Related Learning
Experience Units and Hour’s Equivalence
Units Contact Hours
Related Learning Experience (RLE) (1 credit unit = 51
Skills Lab Clinical
hours)
Health Assessment 1 0 51
Community Health Nursing 0.5 1.5 102
Nursing Research I 1 0 51
Nursing Research II 2 0 102
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 100 2 0 102
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 101 1 3 204
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 102 1 5 306
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 103 1 5 306
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 104 1 3 204
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 105 0 2 102
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 106 2 3 255
Nursing Care Management (NCM) 107-B 0 3 153
Intensive Nursing Practicum 0 8 408
TOTAL 12.5 33.5 2346

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 Table 3. CMO No. 14 series 2009 Summary of Curriculum Outline of Laboratory Units
and Hour’s Equivalence
Laboratory Hours
Subject Courses Units
(1unit = 54 hours)
General Chemistry 2 108
Anatomy and Physiology 2 108
Biochemistry 2 108
Physics 1 54
Microbiology and Parasitology 1 54
Nutrition with Diet Therapy 1 54
Informatics 1 54
TOTAL 10 540

Table 4. CMO No. 15 series 2017 Summary of Curriculum Outline in Units

Subjects Area Units
General Education 36
• Core Courses (24)
• Elective Courses (9)
• Life and Works of Rizal (3)
Other Courses 14
• Physical Education (PE) (8)
• National Service Training Program (NSTP) 1 and 2 (6)
Major Courses 17
• Biochemistry (3/2)
• Logic and Critical Thinking (3/2)
• Anatomy and Physiology (3/2)
• Microbiology and Parasitology (3/1)
Professional Courses 125
• NCM 100 – Theoretical Foundations in Nursing (3)
• NCM 101 – Health Assessment (3/2*)
• NCM 102 – Health Education (3)
• NCM 103 – Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (3/2*)
• NCM 104 – Community Health Nursing I: Individual and Family as Client (2/2*)
• NCM 105 – Nutrition and Diet Therapy (2/1*)
• NCM 106 – Pharmacology (3)
• NCM 107 – Care of Mother, Child, Adolescent (Well Client) (4/5*)

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 • NCM 108 – Healthcare Ethics (Bioethics) (3)
• NCM 109 – Care of Mother and Child at risk or with Problems (6/6*)
• NCM 110 – Nursing Informatics (3)
• NCM 111 – Nursing Research I (2/1*)
• NCM 112 – Care of Clients with Problems in Oxygenation, Fluid and Electrolyte,
Infectious, Inflammatory and Immunologic Response, Cellular Aberration, Acute
Aberration, Acute and Chronic (8/6)
• NCM 113 – Community Health Nursing II: Population Groups and Community as
Clients (2/1*)
• NCM 114 – Care of the Older Person (2/1*)
• NCM 115 – Nursing Research II (RLE 2)
• NCM 116 - Care of Clients with Problems in Nutrition and GI Metabolism and
Endocrine, Perception and Coordination (5/4*)
• NCM 117 - Care of Clients with Maladaptive Patterns and Behavior (Acute or
Chronic) (4/4*)
• NCM 118 - Care of Clients with Problems Life Threatening Conditions/ Acutely-
ill/ Multi-organ problems/ high-acuity and emergency situations, Acute and
Chronic. (4/5*)
• NCM 119 - Nursing Leadership and Management (4/5*)
• NCM 120 – Decent Work Employment and Transcultural Nursing (3)
• NCM 121 – Disaster Nursing (2/1*)
• NCM 122 - Intensive Nursing Practicum (Hospital and Community Setting) (8*)
TOTAL 192
*Laboratory/Related Learning Experience (RLE)

Table 5. CMO No. 15 series 2017 Summary of Curriculum Outline of Related Learning
Experience Units and Contact Hours
Units Contact No. Hours for
Hours Self-Directed
Related Learning Experience (RLE) Skills (1 credit Learning
Clinical
Lab unit = 51 (20-30% of Total
hours) RLE Hours)
NCM 101 - Health Assessment 2 0 102 20 – 30
NCM 103 – Fundamentals of Nursing Practice 2 0 102 20 – 30
NCM 104 – Community Health Nursing I 1 1 102 20 – 30
NCM 107 – Care of Mother, Child, Adolescent
2 3 255 51 – 76
(Well Client)
NCM 109 – Care of Mother and Child at risk
1 5 306 61 – 91
or with Problems
NCM 111 – Nursing Research I 1 0 51 10 – 15
NCM 112 – Care of Clients with Problems in
Oxygenation, Fluid and Electrolyte, Infectious,
Inflammatory and Immunologic Response, 1 5 306 61 – 91
Cellular Aberration, Acute Aberration, Acute
and Chronic
NCM 113 – Community Health Nursing II 0 1 51 10 – 15
NCM 114 – Care of the Older Person 0 1 51 10 – 15

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 NCM 115 – Nursing Research II 2 0 102 20 – 30
NCM 116 - Care of Clients with Problems in
Nutrition and GI Metabolism and Endocrine, 1 3 204 40 – 61
Perception and Coordination
NCM 117 - Care of Clients with Maladaptive
1 3 204 40 – 61
Patterns and Behaviour
NCM 118 - Care of Clients with Problems Life
Threatening Conditions/ Acutely-ill/ Multi-
2 3 255 51 – 76
organ problems/ high-acuity and emergency
situations, Acute and Chronic.
NCM 119 - Nursing Leadership and
0 3 153 30 – 45
Management
NCM 121 – Disaster Nursing 1 0 51 10 – 15
NCM 122 - Intensive Nursing Practicum 0 8 408 81 – 122
17 36
TOTAL 2703 540 – 810
53
*NCM – Nursing Care Management

Table 6. CMO No. 15 series 2017 Summary of Curriculum Outline of Laboratory Units
and Hour’s Equivalence
Laboratory Hours
Subject Courses Units
(1unit = 51 hours)
Anatomy and Physiology 2 102
Biochemistry 2 102
Microbiology and Parasitology 1 51
Nutrition with Diet Therapy 1 51
Nursing Informatics (Computer Lab) 1 51
TOTAL 7 540

Singapore Nursing Curriculum Outline

The Nursing Curriculum Outline of National University of Singapore (NUS) under the
compliance and recommendation from Singapore Nursing Board (2009).

Table 7. National University of Singapore – A Three (3) Year Program of Bachelor

of Science (Nursing) Curriculum Structure (AY 2018-2019)
Semester
Year Modular Modules
Credits (MCs)
NUR1110 Effective Communication for Health Professionals (4MC)
1
1 NUR1114 Fundamentals of Nursing (4MC)
(18MC)
NUR1117 Anatomy and Physiology I (4MC)

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 NUR1201C Health Continuum for Older Adults (4MC)
NUR1107A Nursing Practice Experience 1.1 (2MC)
NUR1118 Anatomy and Physiology II (4MC)
2 NUR1120 Comprehensive Health Assessment (4MC)
1
(16MC) NUR2201C Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Nursing Practice I
(8MC)
Special Term (7
1 NUR1108A Nursing Practice Experience 1.2 (7MC)
MC)
NUR2113 Mental Health Nursing (4MC)
NUR2120 Professional Nursing Practice, Ethics and Law (4MC)
1
2 NUR2202C Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Nursing Practice II
(18MC)
(8MC)
NUR2106A Nursing Practice Experience 2.1 (2MC)
MIC2000 Infection and Immunology (3MC)
2 SC2211 Medical Sociology (4MC)
2
(15MC) NUR2122 Psychology for Nurses (4MC)
NUR2204C Women and Children Health (4MC)
Special Term
2 NUR2107A Nursing Practice Experience 2.2 (8MC)
(8MC)
NUR3113 Medical/Surgical Nursing III (4MC)
NUR3114 Leadership and Management (3MC)
1
3 NUR3117 Community Integrated Health Care (4MC)
(17MC)
NUR3202C Research and Evidence‐based Healthcare (4MC)
NUR3105A Nursing Practice Experience 3.1 (2MC)
2 NUR3118 Consolidated Clinical Simulation Nursing Practice (3MC)
3
(13MC) NUR3116A Transition to Professional Practice Experience (10MC)
Two modules (8MC) chosen from any modules outside Nursing
120 Modular units

Table 8. Recommended Singapore Nursing Board. Clinical Nursing Practice – disciplines

and minimum duration (weeks/hours) of clinical placement.
Minimum Duration of
Discipline Placement
Weeks Hours
General Medical (Acute or Community Hospitals with minimum of 4
8 320
weeks in acute hospital)
Elder Care / Intermediate and Long Term Care (Community
2 80
Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Elder Care Centres)
Community Health (Primary Care, Hospital-based outpatient
1 40
services, Medical centres, Home Nursing)
Mental Health (Institute of Mental Health) 1 40
General Surgical (Surgical, Orthopaedics & Day Surgical
7 280
wards)
Consolidated Clinical Practice* (Medical-Surgical) 9 360
TOTAL 28 1120
*Consolidated Clinical Placement shall take place only when students have completed/passed all

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 core modules. The placement period shall be at least 9 weeks. NB: A maximum of 80 hours of
simulation learning can be used to replace clinical practice placement hours. Institutions planning
to adopt this strategy shall write in to SNB for approval. Institutions to indicate the clinical nursing
practice discipline to be replaced ( Singapore Nursing Board, 2017).

RESULT AND ANALYSIS

An important aim of these paper was to give a summary of overview of the difference and
similarities of nursing education in terms of accreditation standards, nursing program outcomes,
frameworks and standards of competency of two CMO of Philippines, and Singapore.

Table 9. Nursing Curriculum Outline of Philippines, Singapore and

Philippines Philippines National
CMO No. CMO No. University
Area Analysis/ Notes
14 series 15 series Singapore
2009 2017 (NUS)
Curriculum In Singapore Curriculum the Pre-requisites
Outline for able to admit in BS Nursing has to passed
the GCE 'A' Level, or for international
students to the finish the Year 12 or pass the
higher level in any two of the following:
• General 87 units 36 units - Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Physics,
Education Physical Science, either Mathematics or
Further Mathematics. The English skills
subject was no modular credits but need to
take to be able to admitted. While in the
Philippine nursing Curriculum in CMO
Included in Not counted
• English General Under K-12 towards
No.14 s2009 the English Subject was part of
Requirements it but in CMO No.15 s2017 was removed due
Education modular credits to the implementation of K-12 (Senior high
school)
The other courses under the CMO No.15
Included in 8 MCs s2017 are Physical Education and NSTP but
• Other General 14 units (Modular in CMO No.14 s2009 was included in
Courses Education Credits) General Education. The 8 MC of NUS is an
any modules outside Nursing modules
• Major The Professional courses was compose of
- 17 units nursing subject both CMO No.14 s 2009 and
Courses
112 MCs CMO No.15 s2017 and in NUS. But in CMO
• Professional 115 units 125 units
No.14 s2009 the major courses were
Courses included in General Education then separated
in CMO No.15 s2017(see table 4).

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 The CMO No.14 s2009 has the highest units
for the completion of nursing program.
While the CMO No. 15 the other subjects
that are include previously in CMO No.14
TOTAL 202 units 192 units 120 MCs
was removed due to the implementation of
K-12 program which the some minor subject
already included in the senior high school
(grade 11 and 12).
• Laboratory The CMO No.14 s2009 has 10 units of
10 units 7 units Laboratory with equivalent of 540 contact
Units
hours was higher compare to the CMO
• Laboratory
540 hours 357 hours No.15 s2017of 7 units with the equivalent of
Hours 357 contact hours. In RLE, the CMO No.15
• Related s2017 has the highest units of 53 with the
Learning 46 RLE clinical contact exposure of 2703 hours with
53 units
Experience units self-directed learning of 540-810 hours
(RLE) Units which are 20-30%. Then the CMO No.14
1120 hours s2009 it has 46 units with the equivalent of
2346 contact hour as a minimum set of
2703 hours
• Related requirements of the CHED. If we compare it
with Self-
to the nursing curriculum of National
Learning directed University of Singapore under the Singapore
Experience 2346 hours Learning of Nursing Board that the practicum hours with
Contact 540-810 a minimum clinical practice placement of 28
Hours hours (20- weeks equivalent to 1120 hours, inclusive of
30%)
all the core contents (see Table 8.)

The Singapore clinical practice placement

was the lowest clinical exposure or contact
TOTAL hours of 1120 as set requirement by the
CONTACT 2886 hours 3060 hours 1120 hours Singapore Nursing Board, compare to the
HOURS CMO No.14 s2009 and CMO No.15 s2017
has the total of 2886 hours and 3060 hours
for the latter.

DISCUSSION
This activities is to answer the question similarities and difference between the nursing
curriculum of Philippines and Singapore. The nursing curriculum of National University of
Singapore has no General Education being offered due to the Singapore educational system.
Additionally, they need to take and pass the English skills language as part of the requirement in
able to admitted in the program and they offer two types of curriculum which are a 3-year BS
Nursing and a 4-year BS Nursing – Honour and they have only have a 120 modular units and 160
modular units respectively. While the CMO No. 14 series 2009 and CMO No.15 series 2017 both
offering the 4 years baccalaureate nursing curricular program with the total units of 202 for CMO
No.14 s2009 and the 192 units for CMO No.15 s2017. The difference between the two CMO was

9
the units being offered in General Education in CMO 15 s2017 are 36 units the reason will be the
implementation of K-12 Program that some General subjects were remove. Despite there is a
differences in domestic regulation in showing of each ideas they are still sharing common goals
on how the Nursing curriculum will implement, these are the program outcomes, standard
competencies and frameworks for the nurse to demonstrate the required basic competence upon
the completion of the programs and in connection to the national licensure examination to ensure
that the required basic clinical competence of a beginning nurse practitioner has been met and
these are: Knowledge, Ethical and legal competencies, Professional nursing practice, leadership
and management competencies, education and research competency, and personal and
professional quality competency. The Philippines need to strengthen the collaboration on a
network in nursing education with the other country to gain opportunities provided in connection
with core competencies stated between the countries, so in this opportunity, the Philippine nursing
curriculum will be recognize internationally and might be given the equivalency. Another
challenges are the crediting the courses of the student’s own country that taken from an outside
school or universities, this should be addressed properly by adopting any of the available credit
transfer system which mostly applicable to the Student Exchange Program, among agree parties
of universities and facilitated when the accreditor/ evaluator knows the quality of the nursing
program. If giving the nursing students, the opportunity to study and experience professional
nursing in other countries this will broaden the students’ perspective and may allow the greater
trade in services between the country wherein the student completes the nursing program or its
equivalency. But there is a need to standardize the regulatory frameworks and properly benchmark
the curriculum that align with the learning outcomes and competencies of their own country’s
nursing curriculum with the partner country and a creation of joint body to ensure that the nursing
graduates will have the necessary competencies to allow to practice and employed globally.
The Quality assurance also play the big role in terms of accreditation to increase the
capacity to analyse, develop, update, implement and monitor the legislative systems and process
of the joint regulatory councils/ boards that are transparent mechanism, to allow the members of
the states, to be assured that the nursing curriculum/ program of a university/college has met the
standards set both country in support to continuous process of improvement and its nursing
graduates possess the core competencies at the regional and national level as the registered nurse.

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 References
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Singapore Nursing Board:
http://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider4/guidelines/guidelines-for-
curriculum-accreditation-of-pre-enrolment-programme_revised-march-2017-doc.pdf
CHED. (2009). CMO No.14 series 2009. Retrieved from Commission on Higher Education (CHED):
https://ched.gov.ph/cmo-14-s-2009/
CHED. (2017). CMO No. 15 series 2017. Retrieved from Commission on Higher Education:
https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CMO-No.15-s2012.pdf
National University of Singapore. (2018). Bachelor of Science (Nursing) Curriculum Structure. Retrieved
from Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies:
http://medicine.nus.edu.sg//nursing/documents/education/BSc%20(Nursing)(AY2018-19).pdf
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standards-practice_21_may.pdf
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edu-and-clinical-edu-of-apn_-march-2017.pdf
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standards

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