#rnheals

As a nurse in the Philippines - student, fresh graduate, newly board passer, a novice, an expert - you might have heard of the acronym RN HEALS. It is a project of the Philippine Government to assist the growing number of nurses in the country. So what are these RN HEALS? RN HEALS are nurses who are assigned in the community. If you are a person who is a “suki” in the barangay health center, you might already have met one of them. In the year 2014, RN HEALS was renamed as EPRN maybe because some guidelines were modified. Nurses who qualified for EPRN were employed by the DOH with the item Nurse I. Unlike the RN HEALS nurses who receive a monthly stipend of about 7-8k, EPRN nurses receive a monthly salary of a Nurse I (tax included). Yes, it is most of the time delayed too, just like RN HEALS. But instead of complaining, you just have to be thankful because you’re still receiving your full salary even though it would just be a payment for all your debts because of the delayed “sweldo.” HAHA :) EPRN Nurses DON’T receive bonuses too. Anyway, AFTER THE CONTRACT, EPRN nurses will receive a certification that they were employed as Nurse I, not VOLUNTEER, for the past 2 years under the DOH. 2 years is equivalent to 4 semesters where contract is renewed every 6 months. BTW, after nurses were selected for the EPRN, EPRN was then changed to NDP for reasons I don’t know. Hindi ko na inalam, basta NDP na daw e.

So what do NDPs do in the community? Speaking from personal experience, here are some:

Assists in the implementation of DOH programs such as: 1. Family Planning (FP) - assessment, physical examination, provision of FP supplies, counseling, health teaching 2. Prenatal, Intranatal, and Post Natal Care 3. Expanded Program on Immunization - cold chain management, vaccine administration and disposal, health teachings, scheduling of the next follow up visit; and other child services like garantisadong pambata - Provision of Vit. A and Deworming 4. National TB Program - identification, counseling, treatment partner, health teaching, follow up 5. PhilHealth - profiling

Provision of nursing care to various health concerns

Referrals to a bigger facilities of advanced cases

Accomplishment of program records like TCLS and barangay reports like FHSIS; and

Accomplishment of YOUR reports - the daily accomplishment report, daily time report, monthly journal, performance evaluation forms

Community Health Nursing is not as busy as it seem. Most of the time, the influx of people will come AM. At PM, you have all the time to manage your records, your plans for tomorrow, etc. Time management is the key. Being an NDP nurse, your work will depend to your senior. Though you are positioned as Nurse I and your duties requires you of being a nurse (as per NDP2015 guidelines), you have to adjust and try very hard to deal with everyone in the workplace. Deal with them in a way you won’t really be like them. Community Health Nursing in the Philippines is also not ideal - will be thoroughly discussed in another blog post. You are lucky enough to have a buddy/buddies who will stick with you thru thick and thins. People like these are rare so you have to carefully choose whom you will confide. One lesson I learned as a nurse is that trust needs to be earned. Not all the NICE people you get along with remains that way at your back. You also have to be emotionally strong because no matter how good you are, one wrong move will be used to destroy the good reputation you’ve built thru time and that will be the (most) exhausting day of your work life.

I am a Community Health Nurse…an advanced beginner (see Benner’s Nursing Experience). First batch of the NDP2014, I will turn 1 this coming July in the community (I was assigned in a primary hospital on my first semester). Mayabang by the looks but I honestly need people who can help me advance my expertise. I don’t know much yet so I keep myself open to good and bad criticisms. I am still vulnerable to defamations but I know, I can get through that…thru Him.

I`d like to welcome RNs of 2015. The real world of nursing is waiting for you. :)

——————————————