NTHC participates in Intel Webinar on Informatics for Philippine Nursing Education
July 25, 2011 1:27 pm | by Phoebe Jane Elizaga, RN | Posted in News
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines- Technology for health care does not just harness the collaboration of both computer experts and health care providers but authorities in health care education as well.
UP Manila National Telehealth Center (UPM NTHC) participated in a webinar (seminar on the web) entitled “Good Practices in Implementing Informatics Education for Nurses” live online from the PLDT Innolab, last July 21 hosted by Intel (Philippines). Various universities and nursing schools across the country also participated online.
“Nursing informatics is not purely computers. Computer is just a tool to represent or manipulate nursing patient data to have an improved process.”, says Dr. Patricia Abbott, main speaker of the webinar. Dr. Patricia Abbott is a 20-year expert in nursing informatics and an Associate Professor of Johns Hopkins University. In her talk, she emphasized how health care professionals became primary decision makers in health informatics.
Ms. Elsa Florendo, Chief, Office of Program and Standards, Division of Physical and Natural Sciences, of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) says that the release of CHED CMO 14 which spurs a 2-unit lecture, 1-unit lab Informatics course in the roster of courses for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is tantamount in leveraging competitiveness of Filipino nurses in the health care setting.
The Intel (Philippines) Webinar participants held at PLDT Innolab last July 21 (Photo Courtesy: Dr. Nemuel Fajutagana)
“To be relevant, we should keep up with the global standard and maintain the Filipino nurses’ reputation abroad”, she says.
Dean Elizabeth Roxas, President of the Association of Deans of the Philippine Colleges of Nursing added that this will only be possible through “effective implementation of the nursing informatics in the curriculum and partnership with health informatics organizations are among the actions and future directions of the ADPCN.”
Mr. Kit Sumabat, President of the Philippine Nursing Informatics Association and one of the speakers, stressed the growing demand of health informatics professionals both local and abroad.
As a proof of full support for integration of informatics into the Philippine Nursing education curriculum, CHED has agreed to send participants to the eHealth Seminar organized by the UPM NTHC to be held on the 30th of July 2011, at the Alvior Hall, UP Manila. The eHealth Seminar aims to equip nurses and other allied health professionals in the use of freely available technologies for health care.
