Text by Charmaine A. Lingdas
Photos by Jericho Paolo L. Mabansag, PGH Care Society, Mr. Misael Bacani, OVPPA-UP System Media and Communication Office (UPS-MCO)

What began as a small group of nurses supporting colleagues through difficult times has evolved into a hospital-wide workplace mental health program at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Through peer counseling, mindfulness, psychosocial support, and wellness initiatives, the PGH Care Society for Nurses has shown how caring for healthcare workers can strengthen the quality of care they provide to patients.

During the inaugural Annual Convention of the Filipino Mental Health and Psychiatric Nurses Society Inc. (FMHPNSI) on July 16-17, 2026, Andro Carl Coronejo, Nurse III and member of the PGH Care Society Core Team, shared how the organization evolved from a volunteer initiative into an institutional program that promotes psychological safety, resilience, and compassionate care among healthcare workers.

Support System for Nurses

Coronejo traced the origins of the PGH Care Society in 2015 to a small group of volunteer nurses who recognized that healthcare workers also needed emotional support. The PGH Care Society spent its early years building a core team through training, coaching, and mentoring before formally establishing recruitment systems, confidential referral pathways, and workplace mental health processes. He shared that the organization subsequently developed structured systems for confidential referrals and mental health support for nurses. 

In 2019, the group was formally organized as the PGH Care Society, laying the foundation for a structured workplace mental health program within the hospital’s Nursing Service. Since then, the organization has expanded from providing individual peer support to implementing institution-wide programs that address the psychosocial needs of nurses.

Supporting Nurses Through the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the importance of caring for healthcare workers’ mental health. As nurses confronted heavy workloads, uncertainty, grief, and burnout, the PGH Care Society organized psychosocial processing sessions and debriefings to help staff cope with the emotional demands of frontline work.

Coronejo shared that the team had long advocated for recognizing workplace mental health as an essential component of employee well-being, and that effort eventually led to the inclusion of psychological health and safety in the PGH’s institutional policies.

From Volunteer Effort to Institutional Support

Seeking to sustain the PGH Care Society’s growing initiatives, the team proposed its workplace mental health program under the hospital’s Nursing Innovations Forum. For years, the organization relied largely on volunteer efforts to sustain its activities. Coronejo recalled that their proposal eventually won first place, providing funding that enabled the Care Society to expand its training, wellness activities, and peer support initiatives.

The recognition marked another milestone for the PGH Care Society. Coronejo said the funding allowed the organization to expand its partnerships and outreach. Over the past three years, the PGH Care Society has collaborated with more than 15 partner agencies, reached over 400 community members through lectures, and conducted around 25 mental health seminars and workshops tailored to different groups. 

Using The Nursing Process in Workplace Mental Health

Unlike traditional employee assistance programs, the PGH Care Society anchors its services on the nursing process. Coronejo explained that every counseling encounter begins with establishing a therapeutic relationship, assessing psychosocial concerns, and identifying coping resources before developing individualized support plans.

The program applies nursing assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation to guide peer counseling while remaining within the professional scope of nursing practice. Rather than diagnosing psychiatric illnesses, the team formulates nursing diagnoses based on stress responses, coping patterns, and psychosocial needs before providing therapeutic communication, emotional processing, validation, and referrals when necessary.

Peer Support Built on Trust

Central to the PGH Care Society’s work is peer counseling. Because counselors are fellow nurses who understand the realities of hospital work, the program has fostered trust among employees seeking support.

The organization also developed confidential referral pathways that allow nurses requiring additional mental health services to be connected with psychiatrists, psychologists, or other specialists while maintaining appropriate privacy and professional boundaries.

“For most clients, what’s most important is for them to feel that their emotions are valid,” Coronejo explained. He emphasized that one of the most valuable aspects of peer counseling is giving nurses a safe space where they feel heard and understood.

Addressing Different Dimensions of Employee Well-Being

Beyond peer counseling, the PGH Care Society has expanded its programs to address different dimensions of employee well-being. Coronejo said the organization conducts mindfulness sessions, journaling activities, wellness workshops, arts and crafts, cooking activities, and customized team-building programs tailored to the needs of different hospital units.

Among its initiatives are the Sunflower Award, which recognizes exemplary nurses, and LGBTQIA+ mental health activities that promote inclusive and supportive workplaces.

The organization has also partnered with the Philippine Nurses Association to provide individual and group psychosocial support sessions for Filipino nurses while continuing quality improvement initiatives centered on mindfulness.

Caring For Those Who Care

The PGH Care Society’s commitment to supporting nurses has also earned institutional recognition. The organization received the 2025 Gawad Pangulo para sa Natatanging Alumni, recognizing its contributions to advancing workplace mental health and psychological safety for nurses. For Coronejo and the PGH Care Society, the recognition is not simply an acknowledgment of past achievements but a reaffirmation of their mission to ensure that those who care for others also receive the care they need.

The PGH Care Society continues to show how nurses can lead workplace mental health initiatives that foster resilience, psychological safety, and compassionate care, ensuring that those who care for patients also receive the support they need.

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