COLLEGE OF NURSING HISTORY AND MILESTONE
Background
The clamor of residents in Malaybalay City for Bukidnon State University to offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for SY 2005-2006 prompted Bukidnon State University to conduct a feasibility study to offer said program.
The study revealed that 92.2 % of parents included in the survey would enroll their students at BSU if the BSN program will be offered. The disadvantages of distant travel, concerns of board and lodging as well as radical adjustments to the environment in the big cities which will ultimately translate into heavy expenses and psychological stress prompted them to express their plight. Parents stressed that BSU could offer quality education and would probably be cheaper in terms of expenses compared to private schools inside and outside the province of Bukidnon.
In addition, Malaybalay City has a total number of five (5) hospitals, several industries and higher education institutions that requires the services of professional nurses.
The shortage of nurses in the western countries such as United Kingdom and the United States of America, Ireland and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia made the Philippines as the preferred targets for recruitment for overseas employment of nurses. These scenarios further strengthen the resolved of BSU to offer the BSN program.
The college of nursing was opened through Board Resolution No 1036, s. 2004 with Dr. Cornelia Partosa, of the College of Arts and Sciences at the helm of the college on its initial state. Eventually, Dean Maritess V. Geroy became the first dean as the college of Nursing became an independent college. In June 30, 2007, Dean Melchora B. Serafin took over and led the college to its position as one of the top performing nursing school for the year due to its garnering 100 % performance in the nurse licensure examinations in its first graduates. She was followed by Mrs. Editha Joy Hechanova as OIC-Dean from June 2012 to December 2012 upon the retirement of Dean Serafin.
In December 17, 2013, Dean Bernarda C. Lleno accepted the challenge as the fourth Dean of the College of Nursing. Under her leadership the college of nursing acquired Level I accreditation status by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (ACCUP). Dr. Carina Joane V. Barroso was appointed as the fifth dean of the college after Dr. Lleno’s retirement.