In celebration of the International Nurses Day (IND) with the theme, “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – A Vision for Future Healthcare”, the UP College of Nursing (UPCN) held a webinar and launched the Leadership Course for Advanced Practice in Public Health Nursing (NurseLEAD) in the Western Pacific Region on 12 May 2021. The webinar tackled the challenges and directions in public health nursing.
In her message, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla paid tribute to the late UPCN professor and Professional Regulation Commission Board Member Dr. Carmencita “Meng” Abaquin who developed the 2012 National Nursing Competency Standards as basis for reforms in nursing education. She asserted that in today’s ever-changing healthcare environment, nurses require leadership competence in varied settings.
UPCN Dean and Professor Sheila R. Bonito emphasized that as a World Health Organization-Collaborating Center for Leadership in Nursing Development, the UPCN continues to shape nurses as leaders in public health. Since 2019, the College has been offering leadership courses in public health nursing and training nurses from institutions nationwide. With the launch of NurseLEAD, a new leadership course with the support of Johnson & Johnson Foundation, Dean Bonito hoped that UPCN will be able to do more to achieve its vision of nurturing nurse leaders in public health. J&J Foundation President and Managing Director Mr. Raghu Krishnan vowed to build and strengthen the country’s healthcare workforce by partnering with UPCN.
In her keynote message, Dr. Cora A. Añonuevo, former PRC Board of Nursing member and UPCN professor and public health nursing expert, stated that nurses hold the key to achieving Universal Health Coverage. In tackling the issues and challenges and the needed crucial changes and policy directions, she stated that the main goal of public health nursing is to address the health disparities within marginalized communities by focusing on the environmental physical and social determinants of health. “There is a need to prepare public health nurses so they can assume leadership roles in the community primary healthcare facilities and long-term care settings. There is a need for reforms to ensure that the health care system fully utilizes the competencies of nurses by providing them opportunities to enhance their roles and contributions and not overlook the need for our nurses to be valued, sustained, supported, and justly compensated,” Dr. Anonuevo declared
She maintained that higher educational institutions, the Department of Health, nursing associations, and private stakeholders should ensure that academic requirements or curricula meet the need; that legislation and regulations are regularly reviewed; that issues such as scope of practice, title, and protection are resolved; and that continuing education is provided. The above measures are included to the comprehensive nursing bill that was refiled in Congress. The bill contains a provision on Advanced Practice Nursing that is being finalized by a committee. She assured that the technical working group members are working double time to push the bill’s passage.
“Beyond these efforts, we want to emphasize the need to continuously encourage our nurses to go where they are needed in the country,” stressed Dr. Mary Ruth Sanchez-Politico, Chief of the DOH Planning and Standards Division, Human Resource and Development Bureau. She stated that only 13% of nurses in the Philippines are practicing in public primary care facilities which include rural health units, city health offices barangay health stations, and barangay health centers.
Philippine Nurses Association President Melbert Reyes maintained that to lead is to act with courage and integrity and that leadership plays a vital role in pushing forward nursing advocacy and empowering nurses as catalysts for change for the future of healthcare. Professor Elnora Duque, representing the advocacy group Nurses Initiatives for Change, stressed the need for nurses to become a unified force to bring about change in the health care system and encouraged retired nurses to be active.
“Nurses are leaders of change who, like Florence Nightingale, not only attend to the people’s health needs but work to change the societal conditions for a better future,” stated Dr. Añonuevo. Charmaine Lingdas
Charmaine Lingdas
Featured in the UP Manila Healthscape (Special COVID-19 Issue No. 28, 30 June 2021)
