CLARK, Pampanga (MindaNews / 19 March)—Mindanawon nurses were given special recognition during a summit for nurse leaders in public health here last week, winning a total of six awards.
Mindanao nurses at the NurseLEAD Summit. Photo courtesy of Florly Mae P. Ali
The NurseLEAD Summit 2024, held at the Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort here on March 14-15, marked the culmination of a six-week leadership course for advanced practice in public health nursing.
NurseLEAD is a program of the World Health Organization, with the University of the Philippines College of Nursing (UPCN) as its local partner, choosing the nurses who are “leaders, managers, and supervisors in their respective areas” and trained them “to embark on a path to improve their knowledge and abilities in public health nursing leadership, teamwork, and management.”
A total of 119 nurses from all over the country joined the summit, with Northern Mindanao having the second biggest delegation with 13; five more from the SOCCSKSARGEN area completed the Mindanao delegation.
Prince Blessilou Amora and Kirby Canta, of the Department of Health in Region 10; Froilan Macapil, Department of Education (DepEd) in Iligan City; DJ Orias of DepEd-Kidapawan City; April Rose Faba, of the DOH Center for Health Development in Cotabato City; Germaine Marie M. Tanudra, of the municipal government of Munai in Lanao del Norte were given special recognition for their “capstones” or health projects.
Amora was awarded the best capstone in leadership for his “Development and pilot implementation and evaluation of capacity-building program for health workers in detecting early developmental delays and disabilities among children 0-5 years in the municipality of Sinacaban” in Misamis Occidental.
Macapil, a teacher and nurse at the Hinaplanon National High School in Iligan, won the best capstone poster in collaboration for his “Intensifying reproductive health education for the next generation,” a project he did because he was alarmed that Region 10 has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the whole country.
Canta won the best capstone in management for his project “Keeping primary care champions in high gear: Development of supportive supervisory monitoring and evaluation (SSME) tool to empower barangay health workers of the LGU of Jimenez” in Misamis Occidental.
Orias was awarded the best capstone poster in leadership for his “Shattering boundaries: Cultivating mental health resilience and awareness in Manongol National High School” in Kidapawan City.
Faba received accolades for her exemplary oral presentation of her capstone, “AdoleStrength: Community empowerment for the reduction of teenage pregnancy in Barangay Basag, Tboli, South Cotabato.”
Froilan Jan Macapil, of Iligan City, being recognized at the NurseLEAD Summit. Photo courtesy of Froilan Jan Macapil
Tanudra, on the other hand, was the best capstone project oral presenter in management, with her “Strengthening newborn screening initiatives leveraging the role of barangay health workers and rural health midwives in Munai Lanao del Norte.”
The nurses in the program attended six “synchronous” online sessions in all, then left on their own for the “asynchronous” part.
Nursing students from Gunma University in Japan, led by Dr. Takatoshi Makino, attended the summit as their university is also a Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Interprofessional Education.
The participants engaged partner communities, including public schools in Tarlac, with health education drive and donation of medical equipment.
“Your dedication and commitment to public health nursing are truly remarkable, and your contribution to the community through your capstone projects are truly inspiring,” said Sheila R. Bonito, dean of the UP Manila College of Nursing, during the closing ceremonies. (MindaNews)
