Quality Nursing Education Towards Patient Safety

Maria Cecilia G. Gatchalian, RN

The Association of Nursing Service Administrators of the Philippines, INC (ANSAP), held its mid-year convention last August 15, 2008 with the theme: “Discovering Competitive Paradigms.” ORNAP was among the various health care organizations which attended this historic event. ORNAP officers who attended the said event were Ms. Marilyn Aro, Ms. Cecilia Amontos, Ms. Flor Burgos, Ms. Jeovie Joya,  Ms. Cecilia Gatchalian and Mr. Jonah Arguelles.
The topics focused mainly on improving safety and quality of patient care not only in the hospital or ambulatory treatment, but also in the community-based care. The most alarming issue that ANSAP wants to address is the remarkable decline in the passing percentage of graduates in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), not only in the Philippine Nurse Licensure Exam, but also in the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and the National Council on Licensure Exam (NCLEX).
Certainly, nursing educators play a vital role in improving the quality of education to assure that graduates are highly competent and prepared to lead effectively at every level of nursing practice and administration. Most importantly, nursing educators develop analytical and critical thinking skills that are essential in the nurse’s ability to identify potential and current problems or at risks that impact upon patient safety.
During the open forum, there were diverse reactions given by the participants and the board members especially on the issue of marked decline of quality nursing education.
It is certainly a great challenge for the new members of the ANSAP to vie for excellence in producing competent nursing professionals.

Our body needs food and water to nourish us physically

Redenta C. Mamaclay, RN

Our body needs food and water to nourish us physically, but more than our physiologic needs, our spirits also needs nourishment to uplift our soul and spirit and help us strengthen our relationship with God and to “Come Alive!”
The Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines (ORNAP) officers had an annual retreat last August 9-10, 2008 at the Franciscian Missionary of Mary retreat in Tagaytay City. The 2 day retreat was facilitated by Bro. Jonathan Hijastro and was inspired using the retreat module developed by Fr. Larry Tan SBD.
The retreat was a good opportunity to start the newly elected officers, board and past president to ask for God’s guidance and spiritual direction for the progress of the organization and to include enhance communication, collaboration and creative thinking which can help the new sets of ORNAP officers to move forward a great year.
The officers and the past president shared experiences and insights about their personal and professional experiences which allowed them a good start to get know each other better and learned the meaning of STOP , valuing SILENCE, THINKING or reflecting, OPENING up to people and to God and to always PRAY  amidst all the difficulties and trials in life.
Aside from all the sharing and loving, the ORNAP officers also had a great time with other activities such as action songs and dance moves which really grooved the officers to scale a higher level of excellence for the association.
Indeed, having this 2 day retreat with the Lord opened a lot of opportunities and gave the officers insights about experiencing Gods Love through acknowledging each others strengths, weaknesses and opportunity. Experiencing Gods love amidst all these trials and success that we really should Come Alive! And be Gods living model to one another.

On TOP of anything else… let’s do the TIME OUT!

Cathline D. Avellano, RN

Safety has always been the main concern of those people involved in the medical profession. This is especially true in the Perioperative Nursing setting as we deal with one of the most stressful environment in the hospital.
There had been no data on surgical statistics related to errors committed in the OR. But most of us will agree that this happens, maybe even involving ourselves. Did anyone ever encountered missing a sponge, realizing that you have prepped the wrong site or an instrument is nowhere to be found just as the surgeon is doing the last stitch on the patient’s skin?
If these things do not seem to prove as alarming then you better think twice. Consider yourself on the OR table and witnessing such situations unfold like how it was in the movie Awake.
The Time Out Process (TOP) was discussed in the 34th Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting and has proved to be one of the favourite topics of the participants based on the evaluation gathered. This just goes to prove that we still value the thought of surgical conscience as this is related to the practice of the Time Out Process.
The “Time-out” process as defined by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is a system performed by the health care team before any surgical procedure is done. Included in these parameters is to make certain that the following are checked, verified and acknowledged by the whole surgical team: Patient Identification, Informed Consent, Verification of Procedure & Site, Surgical Marking, Verification of Correct Position and availability of Implant, Special Equipment &/or Imaging Studies needed for the surgical procedure.
The perioperative group organized in the country is committed to eradicate or at least lessen the incidence of wrong patient, wrong site, and wrong procedure surgery. They developed ways to improve protocols that will effectively eliminate these circumstances. Since the “Time-Out” process has just been recently introduced in the Philippines and that it is not yet widely practiced in all hospitals in the country, the effectiveness therefore is challenged by the fact that there are a limited number of surgical errors reported as compared to the number of actual incidences.
As we geared towards standardization of the Perioperative Nursing Practice, there is a need to open up ourselves and embrace a system that highlights patient safety more than anything else. After all this is what really matters – ensuring that each patient goes though the surgical experience taken cared of by efficient and effective healthcare team.
Everybody listen! It’s “Time-Out” time!

Congratulations, Sir Tony!

Cathline D. Avellano, RN

Be the best…always!
The Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines (ORNAP) have recently concluded their 34th Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting with the theme “Solidarity without Boundaries.”
One of the highlight of the activity is the presentation of the Consuelo G. Arabit Award which was won by Mr. Antonio C. Valera III. The said award is the highest and most prestigious honour given by the organization to an outstanding perioperative nurse.
Mr. Valera has served as a perioperative nurse for the last 18 years. He had been affiliated with the Philippine General Hospital and Asian Hospital & Medical Center. He also completed the Supervised Practice Course (6 months) at the Guys’ and St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust Lambeth Palace Road in London where Florence Nightingale studied her formal training in Nursing. Currently, he holds the position of a Department Manager of the Operating Room Cluster of the first JCI Accredited hospital in the Philippines, St. Luke’s Medical Center. He also shares his passion for teaching by being an educator working as a Clinical Instructor on a part time basis with Far Eastern University, St. Joseph College and Kester Grant College.
Sir Tony actively participates in ORNAP initiatives and activities and has served as the ORNAP National President in the year 2004 – 2005.
Congratulations po, Sir Tony!

Nursing Roadmap: Lifeline to Success by 2030

Jonah T. Arguelles, RN

The Board of Nursing has mandated itself to pursue the challenge in the Nursing profession. Amidst all controversies, the new set of board has maintained its course toward unifying the profession and paving its way to excellence and competitive Nursing in the year 2030. The Operating-Room Nurses of the Philippines Inc. (ORNAP) shared the same enthusiasm as our leaders in the profession set forth in accomplishing the task at hand.
Together with the different Professional Nursing Organizations in the Philippines we are enjoined to commit ourselves in this endeavor. Last June 05, 2008, ORNAP attended the seminar workshop that was headed by the BON co-sponsored by the Association of Deans of Philippines College of Nursing (ADPCN) at the University of Sto. Tomas hall. The workshop focuses on gathering the group’s thoughts and to contemplate on the vision, mission, and the core values of the Nursing Profession. Furthermore, the group deliberated the set targets and objectives corresponding to the given vision and mission. The ORNAP representative, youngest amongst the delegates present, never back down in the discussion. We were ready and eager to be a part of building the profession and bringing it to a higher level of success.
As a result of the workshop, the group was able to construct the vision and mission and enumerated the core values and objectives of the profession.

VISION: By 2030, the Philippines shall be the lead in promoting Professional Nursing in the Asia Pacific Region.

MISSION: We, the Filipino Nurses are committed to provide society with professional Nursing service through innovations in education and training research and management that will improve the well-being and quality of life.

CORE VALUES: Love of God, Caring, Love of People, Love of Country

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
•    Develop dynamic leaders and provide opportunities for innovative management in education, training and research.
•    Ensure adherence to professional ethical and legal standards for the health and safety of the public
•    Practice good governance to sustain participative efforts among nurses and nursing organizations.
•    Maintain linkages with domestic and international stakeholders.
•    Sustain growth and productivity that will improve the quality of life of nurses, the Filipinos and the people of the world.

Following the formulation of the VMO, the BON, ORNAP and other Professional Nursing Organizations will continue its quest in achieving their desired goals. In connection with this, the Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines (OHNAP) hosted lecture –forum on Balanced Scorecard at the PNA Conference Room last June 26, 2008. On the other hand last August 01, 2008, the Association of Nursing Service Administrators of the Philippines (ANSAP) also sponsored a one day workshop on Strategic Planning at the Philippines Heart Center. In spite of pouring rain delegates came to attend the workshop. We reviewed the objectives and the four perspectives namely Learning and Growth, Internal Processes, Customer and Financial Perspectives. The participants were grouped to work on the different perspectives and be able to strategically plan, create initiatives, and do brain storming to come up with an acceptable and measurable target for 2030. We were asked to present our output after the workshop and we were able to deliver.
The Nursing Profession has been struggling to cope up with the changes in our field of practice, and a lot has been said little has been done. With the leadership of the Board of Nursing and the effort and dedication of the different Professional Nursing Organizations of the Philippines we hope to walk or even run to a rough free journey towards 2030.
The ORNAP representative was enjoined by other Professional Nursing Organizations who battled for the same reason. They are the following: PNA, ANSAP, ADPCN, OHNAP, SCVNPP, CCNAPI, MCNAP, ADNEP, RENAP, NLGNP, CNGP, GNCP, PSECN, PHICNA, PONA, APDNPP and the UP Manila College of Nursing as WHO collaborating Center for leadership in Nursing Development.