Five students and a faculty of SPUP’s College of Nursing attended the 18th National Conference for Nursing Students held last October 5, 2019 at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel, Manila City. The said conference highlighted the impact and state of the 4th Industrial Revolution in nursing, the balance of values and technological advancement, and the value of 21st century skills and their corresponding ethico-legal considerations.
The SPUP delegation was headed by Mr. Geevee Ventula (Clinical Instructor) with the following student nurses: Ms. Renielyn P. Robillos (BSN4), Mr. Bill C. Frayna (BSN2), Mr. Ramon Janairo Q. Reginaldo (BSN2), Ms. Nadine Kate L. Reyno (BSN2) and Ms. Hilary D. Magmoyao (BSN2).
Over the course of the one-day conference, the student nurses were treated with plenary talks from different leaders in the nursing profession. Dr. Erlinda C. Palaganas, the president of the Philippine Nurses Association, talked about the FIRe (Fourth Industrial Revolution) and highlighted its impact to nursing education, service and practice. Dr. Raymond Sarmiento, Director of the National Telehealth Center of the University of the Philippines Manila, also updated the student nurses regarding the state of IT Healthcare in the Philippines and the different available digital health solutions which may be used in the country. On the other hand, Dr. Lourdes Marie Tejero, the Director of Technology Transfer and Business Development Office of the University of the Philippines Manila presented the different emerging technological breakthroughs all over the world. She challenged the student nurses to create simple innovations in response to the needs of their patients.
The afternoon session of the conference was opened by Dr. Raymond John Naguit, the National Chairperson of the Youth for Mental Health Coalition. He discussed the characteristics of the Generation Z, and presented new strategies for nursing education using new technologies and applications. Ms. Paula Leona Macalintal, the Director for Nursing Education, Advocacy and Patient Experience of Cardinal Santos Medical Center, taught the participants how to value both innovations and human experience and challenged them to take the lead and take expert roles in IT healthcare. Ending the series of plenary talk, Dr. Paolo Josef Blando, the Academic Affairs Coordinator of the National Teachers College, gave an inspiring talk on the different 21st Century Skills patterned to the life of Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing.
The conference culminated with an interactive session with the Professional Regulatory Commission – Board of Nursing where the student nurses had the chance to voice out their concerns. Hon. Glenda Arquiza, the Chairperson of the PRC – BON and Hon. Carmelita Divinagracia facilitated the said open forum.
The conference was a yearly gathering of student nurses from all over the country and is organized by the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing, Inc. This year, the conference was guided by the theme, “ADPCN@60: Trailblazing on FIRe.”
