Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University
Originally Posted by MedSurg32RN

The instructor positions I have seen locally all require a degree from an accredited US University, it maybe different is other parts of the country but in the Northeast it is a must. Some Universities outside the USA are accredited by NLNAC.

Good point, whenever one is seeking a Master's degree from a foreign university with plans of applying it to an occupation in the USA then it is imperative to make sure that the university you plan to attend is recognized and accredited in the USA.

Some in the Philippines are, I'm working on a publishable list as part of our ongoing research

hi hushdawg,

do you some university in the Philippines that their masters degree courses is recognized the US? thank you very much!

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Originally Posted by Hushdawg

Good point, whenever one is seeking a Master's degree from a foreign university with plans of applying it to an occupation in the USA then it is imperative to make sure that the university you plan to attend is recognized and accredited in the USA.

Some in the Philippines are, I'm working on a publishable list as part of our ongoing research here.

Could you elaborate on this matter more and how you are going to come up with this list? Accreditation of nursing programs in the USA is done by two organizations namely, NLNAC and CCNE. While, NLNAC does have accredited international programs in nursing, there is no institution in the Philippines currently included in their accredited program list. The only ones listed in their website are programs in Scotland, and a few others in US Territories such as Guam, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. CCNE only accredits programs in Hawaii and the continental US. This is per the last time I checked since the web link is down at the time of this writing.

"Recognized" is a relative term subject to varying interpretations. Would a MAN degree in Adult Health from the University of the Philippines - Manila be recognized in the US? Maybe if the nurse comes to the US from the Philippines after having worked for a number of years in wound and ostomal care at St. Luke's, graduated from a MAN in Adult Health from UP, then, I would say this nurse is an expert and maybe the USCIS and a US hospital will recognize this individual's credentials enough to be granted a H1B Visa to be hired in a Wound Care Specialist role. However, a new grad RN from the Philippines with not a single day of paid nursing experience but has graduated from a MAN program from the UP will probably not get much farther than get hired as a staff nurse in an entry level role. But that doesn't change the fact that this latter nurse has a MAN degree, it only makes it so that this is an inexperienced nurse with a master's degree.

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

hi NP GILLY,

i talked to a couple of immigration lawyer, and told me that Im eligible for the H1b visa since I worked for 2years in ER, im from the Philipiines. and I read in an anticle that and alien nurse to be eligible for h1b should have atleast bachelors degree or equivalent to US, and to be equal i should have atleast 4 year bachelors degree of studying and atleast 3 years of working experince in a specialty area..so do you think I should believe these 2 lawyer that Im qualified for h1b? thanks!

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Originally Posted by NP Gilly

Could you elaborate on this matter more and how you are going to come up with this list? Accreditation of nursing programs in the USA is done by two organizations namely, NLNAC and CCNE.

It is a very lengthy process, basically we have to request from each university individually to provide course descriptions and plans for the Master's degree and submit it to the US bodies for approval.
Universities in RPH have an uphill battle as far as complete accreditation is concerned so we are looking at finding balance between the US schools versus the RPH schools.

It's going to take a while, since all we can do at this stage is see if a university is going to be eligible for accreditation. The University itself has to go through the full accreditation process.

I expect it will take a year or more before we start seeing results since this project is in the beginning stages.

The overall goal of the project is to elevate the quality of nurse education in the Philippines. This is only a small part of that process.

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Originally Posted by Hushdawg

It is a very lengthy process, basically we have to request from each university individually to provide course descriptions and plans for the Master's degree and submit it to the US bodies for approval.
Universities in RPH have an uphill battle as far as complete accreditation is concerned so we are looking at finding balance between the US schools versus the RPH schools.

It's going to take a while, since all we can do at this stage is see if a university is going to be eligible for accreditation. The University itself has to go through the full accreditation process.

I expect it will take a year or more before we start seeing results since this project is in the beginning stages.

The overall goal of the project is to elevate the quality of nurse education in the Philippines. This is only a small part of that process.

Why would US accreditation be even a "small" part of a process to "elevate the quality of nursing education in the Philippines." Is your program really about improving nursing education in the PI, or about making it easier for PI nurses to find employment in the US?

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Originally Posted by cstellar18

hi NP GILLY,

i talked to a couple of immigration lawyer, and told me that Im eligible for the H1b visa since I worked for 2years in ER, im from the Philipiines. and I read in an anticle that and alien nurse to be eligible for h1b should have atleast bachelors degree or equivalent to US, and to be equal i should have atleast 4 year bachelors degree of studying and atleast 3 years of working experince in a specialty area..so do you think I should believe these 2 lawyer that Im qualified for h1b? thanks!

First off, I am not an immigration expert, I am a former foreign nurse from the Philippines who has resided in the US since 1995 and have been naturalized as an American. What your lawyer said about the H1B Visa requiring the sponsored nurse to have a Bachelor's degree in Nursing or its US equivalent is correct. This is one of the requirements for anyone to be granted an H1B Visa. The other part is that the position requested is considered a "specialty occupation" defined as one that requires theoretical and practical application of a highly specialized knoweldege. You and I are both nurses and I'm sure we won't argue the fact that nurses do provide specialized care utilizing knowledge and theories learned in an educational institution. The Catch-22 in this matter is that in the United States, the minimum requirement for a Registered Nurse even the ones who work in the ER as senior nurses is an Associate's Degree in Nursing not a Bachelor's Degree. So how then can one justify hiring a foreign ER nurse for an H1B Visa when the minimum qualification for the position is not a Bachelor's degree? That's the hurdle for foreign nurses applying for an H1B Visa. However, it seems like some Filipino nurses are getting approved for this visa lately so there must be something else added to the positions being requested making it so that it requires completion of a Bachelor's degree as the minimum qualification.

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Originally Posted by elkpark

Why would US accreditation be even a "small" part of a process to "elevate the quality of nursing education in the Philippines." Is your program really about improving nursing education in the PI, or about making it easier for PI nurses to find employment in the US?

You hit the nail on the head. There are organizations involved in accreditation of nursing programs in the Philippines. If I remember it right, they even have varying levels of accreditation depending on how well the school did in the process of being inspected. The Commission on Higher Education or CHED, a government agency in the Philippines even designates certain programs as "Centers of Excellence" in nursing education. There is a system already in place in the Philippines which needs to respected and implemented. Seeking US accreditation for Philippine nursing schools only makes sense for those who continue to seek loopholes and outsmart the imperfect US immigration service. I find that unethical in the current struggling US economy where experienced nurses are having a tough time finding jobs and students in nursing schools are getting discouraged at their job prospects after graduation.

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

I am attending the University of The Philippines open university. It is a good school, tuition is lower, and education is good.

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

http://www.nlnac.org/manuals/SC2008_BACCALAUREATE.htm

It seems like some of the standards who be a huge challenge:

The nursing education unit is administered by a doctorally prepared nurse.

6.5.4 Job placement rates are addressed through quantified measures that reflect program demographics and history.

6.5 The program demonstrates evidence of achievement in meeting the following program outcomes:

- Performance on licensure exam

- Program completion

- Program satisfaction

- Job placement


This is for a BSN:

For a Masters Degree

Qualified faculty and staff provide leadership and support necessary to attain the goals and outcomes of the nursing education unit.

2.1 Faculty are academically and experientially qualified; the majority of faculty hold earned doctorates.

2.2 Faculty credentials reflect appropriate advanced practice certifications and expertise in their area(s) of teaching.


Qualified faculty and staff provide leadership and support necessary to attain the goals and outcomes of the nursing education unit.

2.1 Faculty are academically and experientially qualified; the majority of faculty hold earned doctorates.

2.2 Faculty credentials reflect appropriate advanced practice certifications and expertise in their area(s) of teaching.

Re: Master's degree online in Philippine-based College/University

Originally Posted by NP Gilly

There are organizations involved in accreditation of nursing programs in the Philippines. If I remember it right, they even have varying levels of accreditation depending on how well the school did in the process of being inspected. The Commission on Higher Education or CHED, a government agency in the Philippines even designates certain programs as "Centers of Excellence" in nursing education. There is a system already in place in the Philippines which needs to respected and implemented.

Unfortunately CHED is completely useless after the 2006 debacle and the ensuing court battles. CHED accreditation is meaningless because it is not even legally required to operate.

Not to mention, of course, that accreditation can be bought.

Seeking foreign accreditation for the school is the only way in the current system and administration to get an unbiased accreditation which is not subject to scrutiny.