SU Nursing students present papers at ICONS 14; team wins 2nd best paper
Silliman University Nursing students presented their research at the 14th International Conference of Nurses (ICONS 14) in Cebu City, where one student team earned Second Place Best Paper for their study on mental health-related care in a local barangay.
Held on November 28–29, 2025 at the Sarrosa International Hotel & Residential Suites, the conference brought together nursing scholars, practitioners, and students from across the country and abroad, with SU represented by 11 student researchers under the leadership of College of Nursing Dean and SU co-host representative Dr. Theorose June Q. Bustillo.
Anchored on the theme “Empowering a Sustainable Future Through Evidence-Based and Innovative Nursing Practice,” ICONS 14 highlighted the role of research, collaboration, and innovation in strengthening healthcare systems and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Organized by Cebu Normal University’s College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences in partnership with the Research Institute for Ageing and Health and the Nightingale Student Council, the conference provided a platform for scholarly exchange and professional development among student and professional nurses.
Eleven student researchers represent Silliman University at the ICON 14. (From left to right: Jahzeiah Keilah K. Gomez, Mhej T. Santos, Klaire Louisse V. Turtal, Angel Le Ann I. Delos Santos, Sarah Ahmed Yousef Kandeel B. El-Hadad, Dr. Theorose June Q. Bustillo, Shekinah L. Bernasor, Precious May I. Olpos, Mickaela Junko N. Peñas, Keenna P. Yonzon, Nezza Mhea P. Lisondra, Juhannah E. Patrimonio)
The Silliman delegation presented three studies addressing timely issues in nursing education, community health, and population diversity. Shekinah L. Bernasor, Precious May I. Olpos, and Keenna P. Yonzon, advised by Dr. Freslyn Lim-Saco, shared their research on the lived experience of new graduate nurses transitioning to practice following online nursing education at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Sarah Ahmed Yousef Kandeel B. El-Hadad, together with Mhej T. Santos and advised by Bustillo, delivered a podium presentation on the lived experiences of gay older people in Negros Oriental, bringing attention to issues of aging, identity, and care access.
The University’s recognition came through the paper “Primary Healthcare Workers’ Awareness, Challenges, Aspirations, and Recommendations in Providing Mental Health-Related Care in a Local Barangay of Dumaguete City,” which won Second Place for Best Paper in the podium category.
The study was presented by Angel Le Ann I. Delos Santos and co-authored by Jahzeiah Keilah K. Gomez, Nezza Mhea P. Lisondra, Juhannah E. Patrimonio, Mickaela Junko N. Peñas, and Klaire Louisse V. Turtal, with advisement from Dr. Theresa A. Guino-o. Their research highlighted the challenges faced by frontline healthcare workers and the need to strengthen community-based mental health support systems.
Throughout the two-day conference, the SU delegation engaged in knowledge-sharing sessions and built connections with nursing researchers and educators from various institutions.
Bustillo also received a Certificate of Recognition on behalf of Silliman University as a co-host of ICONS 14, further affirming SU’s commitment to fostering research excellence, innovation, and socially responsive nursing leadership.
