As I walked and searched for clients to assist in the community for my Public Health Nursing (PHN) rotation, I encountered a lady who introduced her mother as a potential client, saying, “‘Yung mama ko, pwede yun, may diabetes and hypertension siya.” (My mom, she has diabetes and hypertension.) Excitedly, I asked the lady if I could meet and speak with her mother to introduce myself and help her improve her health management behavior. The lady eventually agreed and asked me to meet her mother inside the house. As I met the mother, little did I know that despite her healthy and cheerful appearance, the complications of the disease were already taking a toll.

As we began the assessment, I discovered that the mother had been diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus Type 2 in 2012. They were prescribed maintenance medications, but since then, they have not followed up with any consultations. The intake of the maintenance medications was also irregular. As I measured the patient's Capillary Blood Glucose using a glucometer, the results indicated a CBG reading as high as 400 mg/dL, significantly above the normal range.

Additionally, her blood pressure was elevated at 160/110, which indicated type 2 hypertension. At this rate, the patient might be experiencing chronic symptoms that went unreported and could potentially lead to both hyperglycemic attacks and a hypertensive crisis. Recognizing the severity of the health problem, I immediately referred the patient to the local health center and assisted them in consulting with a physician. As I introduced myself to the physician and provided an overview of the patient's health and medical history, the patient's daughter, who also happened to be a nurse, accompanied us. This facilitated the endorsement process as we collaborated and discussed her mother's case. The physician was also grateful that I had detected the situation and promptly brought the patient to the health center for immediate intervention, including medication management, laboratory and diagnostic tests, and case management.

Apart from the referral and endorsement to the local health center, the client and I, along with the concerned family members, worked together to improve the patient's health management skills and behaviors. We established a good working relationship, and the entire family expressed gratitude for my interventions. When I concluded my involvement and ended the contract, we had successfully established healthy habits such as using a blood pressure monitoring diary, and a medication monitoring sheet, and adopting lifestyle changes including proper diet and exercise.

Although the contract ended months ago, the daughter continues to monitor me from time to time and recently provided feedback regarding my contribution to her mother's improved health. “Great thing that you came, kasi even me as nurse hindi ko medyo nabantayan health ni mother because of the hectic shift schedules nating mga nurses. Uuwi matutulog na lang tapos duty na naman, dahil na din siguro sa staffing. It's a great thing na nacheck mo yung blood sugar and pressure niya so that nakita natin agad na tumataas na naman pala ang blood sugar and pressure niya, bago pa lalong lumala ang kondisyon niya,” the patient’s daughter verbalized.

Translated Using Google Translate:

"It's a great thing that you came, because even me as a nurse, I couldn't take care of my mother's health because of the hectic shift schedules of us nurses. I'll just go home and sleep and then go back to duty, maybe because of the staffing. It's a great thing that you checked her blood sugar and pressure so that we immediately saw that her blood sugar and pressure were rising again before her condition worsened."

Experiences like these constantly fuel my passion and dedication to nursing. I firmly believe that firsthand intervention and improved health behaviors should begin within the families and communities themselves. It is our role as public health nurses not only to educate our clients about health management skills and behaviors but also to inspire them to realize their power and control over their own health.

Recognizing the significance of public health and community nursing, I am also a strong advocate for quality and accessible healthcare for all. As a student leader and the current Chairperson of the UP Nursing Student Council, we have successfully launched information drives and statements advocating for the rights of every Filipino to quality and accessible
healthcare, including the rights of healthcare professionals. Recently, we responded to a request from the senate by submitting a position paper that highlights the status and needs of our Human Resources for Health (HRH). The position paper emphasizes that quality and accessible health services can only be achieved when there is availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality in our human resources for health, necessitating significant state investment.

In conclusion, our role as nurses extends beyond simple patient interactions. We have the power to change lives, improve health outcomes, and influence both the community and institutions. As the core of the healthcare team, we must always be proactive and engaged in shaping not only the lives of our patients but also those of their families, the community, and our nation.