Brief History of College of Nursing

Brief History of College of Nursing

The College of Nursing (CON) opened its doors to the admission of students for preparatory courses leading to the degree in Nursing under the Liberal Arts Department in 1971. The College was given permit to operate in 1972 and in 1973, it was considered a separate unit with a Dean and two nurse instructors who supervised its operations. Major subjects were offered to 29 students who passed all requirements leading to the third-year level. It was granted recognition by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports in 1976.

The first dean of the College of Nursing was Dr. Natividad A. Espiritu who served from June 1973 to October 1979. Dr. Marietta H. Gaddi took over from November 1979 to November 1989 and from May 1991 to May 1992. Meanwhile, Mrs. Helen O. Gorospe acted as the dean for one semester of school year 1989 to 1990. Mrs. Isabel L Ramos was appointed as the dean from 1990 to 1995 and Mrs. Zenaida S. Fernandez has been the college dean since then.

Students have as their base hospitals, the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga; the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC); Ospital Ning Angeles, Escolastica Romero District Hospital in Lubao, Pampanga; Balitucan District Hospital in Magalang, Pampanga; the Mabalacat District Hospital in Mabalacat, Pampanga; and the National Center for Mental Health, the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital and the San Lazaro Hospital, in Metro Manila. During the presence of the US Military Bases, students also obtained part of their related-learning experience from the USAF Regional Medical Center inside Clark Air Base. Mt. Pinatubo resettlement sites and certain barangays have likewise been adopted by the college for their community exposures. They are, namely: the EPZA Resettlement Area; Brgy. Sapang Bato; Brgy. Sta. Teresita; Pandacaqui Resettlement Area; Brgy. Sta. Monica, Lubao, Pampanga; Sitio Monicayo; Diosdado Macapagal Village; Brgy. Lourdes; Salapungan and other nearby barangays in Angeles City.

The Angeles University Foundation College of Nursing, since the beginning, had maintained its goal of quality nursing education through the strict implementation of its admissions, retention and promotion policies and the hiring of highly qualified, competent and dedicated faculty members. It has already graduated 3,484 students from 1976 to 2005 and have successfully passed the competitive licensure examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission. Since 1983, graduates of the college have consistently landed in the top ten and top twenty of the board examination. A great majority of them are gainfully employed in the Philippines, United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

Today, the College has a total of 122 full-time faculty members who have all the educational and professional qualifications necessary to make CON globally competitive and attuned to the needs of the academic community.