Last November 2023, I cared for an elderly couple living alone in an urban community in a two-story wooden house, far from their children. During my initial home visit, the couple's initial complaints were the husband's bronchial asthma and hypertension, diagnosed before the COVID-19 pandemic at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). He had not returned since the lockdowns and quarantine restrictions. His last visit to the health center was in July 2023 to request for a prescription. His wife reported no comorbidities. They had not visited any healthcare facilities, including the health center, due to unfamiliarity with the new online scheduling system for check-ups. In my initial weeks with them, I focused on monitoring and assessing their physical health, which included daily monitoring of vital signs, blood sugar, and food consumption, as well as evaluating their knowledge and knowing the available equipment to manage the husband's conditions. Through this holistic assessment, I discovered that the wife needed to visit the health center to check her blood sugar levels because they were often elevated, including her Fasting Blood Glucose (FBS). I managed to tailor the health education I provided and made the necessary referrals I perceived to be needed by the couple. By the end of my contact, I scheduled both for a check-up at the nearest health center, Rosario Reyes Health Center. There, the husband received an ECG, a lipid profile, and a new prescription, while the wife was referred for HbA1c, FBS, and routine urinalysis, which were not available at the health center. Additionally, they were able to get in contact with a congressman's assistant to request a free cane to aid the husband's walking. I also taught them how to accurately monitor and interpret their blood pressure, peripheral oxygen levels, and heart rate using an automatic aneroid sphygmomanometer and pulse oximeter that they already had but were not using due to lack of knowledge and skills. I also provided them with a blood glucose monitoring kit, by saving up my own money and taught them how to monitor their own blood sugar levels. The wife continued to update me on her blood sugar reading through Messenger, which assured me that they were able to utilize the skills and equipment I had provided even after my contact with them. To show their appreciation and gratitude for the interventions I did for them, the couple would often invite me to eat with them, give me food, or try to give me children’s books to take home and on my last visit, they gave me a water tumbler which I still use up to this date.

In addition to my experience with family care, I also cared for a specific age group during our Community Health Nursing II (N119) and Nursing Interventions II - Community Health Nursing Clinicals (N107 - CHN), both of which focused on school-aged children. From October 2023 to January 2024, I co-led the assessment, planning, and implementation of the program for school-aged children in Barangay 843, titled "Batang Malusog: Kumakain, Kumikilos, Kumikilatis, at Kumokonsulta." Collaborating with the Barangay Chairman, Kagawad for Health, Barangay Nutrition Scholar, Sangguniang Kabataan, and Bagong Barangay Health Center, we implemented our four-phased program. In Phase 1, "Batang Malusog: Kumokonsulta!," we assessed the children, collected stool samples, and personally performed the DFS-Kato Thick diagnostic procedure in the laboratory of the College of Public Health. Phase 2 "Batang Malusog: Kumikilatis!," was a health fair with games, loot bags, and food for the children. Phase 3, "Batang Malusog: Kumakain!," involved home visits to provide dietary counseling to parents of malnourished children. The final phase, "Batang Malusog: Kumikilos!," was a policy-making meeting involving local barangay officers. I personally referred children with stool parasites to the physician at the Bagong Barangay Health Center for prioritization and free medication.

Another more recent experience was when I led a group in caring for school-aged children from Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Isla Puting Bato, Tondo - Manila, during our N107-CHN course in May 2024. After a fire devastated the area and one of the school annex buildings in April 2024, our focus was on providing Psychological First Aid for children. My group and I completed an online certification course and then developed and implemented a program called "Wansapanataym: Kwentong Pambata (Mental Health Wellness Program para sa mga Bata ng Isla Puting Bato)." Actress Ms. Jodi G. Santamaria, a well-known actress in the country, was the main storyteller and UPM Guidance Counselor Jesusa Bianca A. Fernandez did a debriefing session to help children process their emotions. With the assistance of our clinical instructor, Mr. John Joseph Posadas, and the Purok leaders, we were also able to donate storybooks, activity books, school supplies, electric wall fans, a laminator, cleaning supplies, and more to the school, all written in the certificate of donation given to the school chairman. I was able to do all of these on top of being the Vice-chairperson for External Affairs of the UP Nursing Student Council where I managed and spearheaded some activities for my fellow student nurses in the UPCN community as well as being the Vice President for External Affairs of the UP Manila Association of Muslim Students where I also contribute to the sense of community and camaraderie of Muslim students both in UP Diliman and UP Manila by attending and contributing to planned events for engagement of Muslim students. 

As I re-read the passage of what I had done, I realized perhaps it was true when my friends and professors said I am passionate about the things I do, or maybe it was just a result of experiencing it firsthand during the Marawi Siege, the importance of lending a hand to those in need. Nevertheless, this is the reason why I deemed my whole Public Health Nursing experience by far as a “diamond in the rough”, because I never expected enjoying it and being deeply passionate about it. This field also has a lot of potential, and it has opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities for nurses aside from working in a hospital setting, especially in a community and family-oriented country such as the Philippines, an opportunity where a nurse provides basic care, health education, referrals, and links to the people in the community but still makes a huge difference in the health seeking behavior and overall health of the people. It gave me a whole new purpose and dedication to why I decided to pursue nursing at this university; the clamor for prestige or reputation was long gone, replacing it with a genuine hope to help the Filipino people, especially those in the “laylayan” through embodying the core values of the college (integrity, nationalism, caring, excellence, leadership, and learning) as a student nurse and
hopefully through bigger things in the future.