Epitomized as an art and science, nursing is a profession embraced by dedicated people with diverse interests, passion and love for caring.According to the Professional Regulations Commissions, there are over 800,000 nurses in the Philippines from staff nurses and educators to nurse practitioners and nurse researchers.
In 1958 President Carlos P. Garcia proclaimed the last week of October as Nurses’ Week and authorized Philippine Nurses Association to take charge of the observance of the event.
This year, the Division of Nursing Service of Chong Hua Hospital, with the dynamic management of Celedonia M. Bienes, Director for Nursing and Lee Banguilan, Assistant Director for Clinical Advancement together with the program committee chairpersons, Josephine Namocatcat RN and Antonio Valera RN, executed the celebration of the Nurses Week bearing the theme, “Nurses: A Force For Change” which does not go far from the international theme that aims to illuminate the spotlight on the power of nurses to make a move, initiate change, and improve way of practice.
On November 3, the event started with the keynote address delivered by the invited guest, the PNA President for Cebu Chapter, Edith Rose Santos. She put emphasis on the roles of the nurses in initiating change in this fast paced world of healthcare. She mentioned about the significant achievements of Filipino nurses not just in the country, but to the world. Santos commended the nursing administrators of Chong Hua Hospital for playing a proactive role in the society and influencing other health institutions to also pay tribute to their nurses. She encouraged the Nursing workforce of Chong Hua Hospital to always continue being enthusiastic in their professional practice and community involvement and challenge everyone to be a role model.
The scientific session began with the presentation of the different units and departments with their proposed process improvement outputs in the contest for the most relevant Plan-Do-Study-Act(PDSA) Projects. This was spearheaded by the hospital’s very own Department of Quality Management and Research manager, Ryan Go. The judicial panel were represented of no less than Dr. Liezil Mata, Dr. Noreen Chua and Dr. Manuel S. Donaldo. Several entries were submitted and discussed thoroughly by the participants from different nursing units. To improve the existing processes and to align the institution with the current trends in different nursing tasks and responsibilities were the aims of the contest.
Being a nurse is not just a job. It is about being an everyday Hero. Happy Nurses week everyone.