Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Many health concerns are brought about by disregard to the simplest and most basic health care practices. The problem of health-care associated infections (HAI) is immense with 1/10-25 patients developing it and over 1.4 million cases at a given time worldwide. Sequelae of HAI, an infection absents upon hospital admission but acquired during the hospitalization, include more serious illness, longer hospital, chronic disability and even death. HAI is drawing more attention from stakeholders because of the heightened recognition that these infections are preventable. Health care workers frequently serve as conduit for the spread of infections to other clients in their care. Hand hygiene, the most efficient and cost-effective means of controlling hospital infection, is the most ignored intervention. A study assessed, through direct observation, the hand hygiene practices of selected Filipino junior nursing students of a city-run university (in Manila, Philippines) during drug administration and inbetween patient care at a selected tertiary hospital during the students� three-week clinical exposure in a medical-surgical unit. Results indicates the low hand hygiene compliance rates. Interestingly, the study also showed that with minimal prompting improvement was noticed weeks after with various reminders (as the only intervention) provided to students. Emphasis on infection control measures should be given to students at this level to instill the habit of hand hygiene. The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges that continuous staff education and improving personnel accountability are among simple measures toward infection control. With this and the ever-changing landscape in the health care delivery system, ensuring that nurses engage in lifelong learning is the position of the institute of medicine to move the nursing profession forward. As advancement in health technology rapidly ensues and clients� demands and expectations to health care providers increase, nurses should be competent to meet the challenge. Continuous learning is essential to gain competencies needed to provide care for various clienteles across settings and lifespans. Lifelong learning includes all learning activities undertaken throughout life for the development of competencies and qualifications. A study describing lifelong learning among Filipino nurses of a tertiary government hospital in Manila, Philippines reveals that respondent nurses have a moderately high level for autonomous learning. Further, respondents prefer to plan their own learning, consider themselves as self-directed learners, love learning for learning�s sake and take it as their responsibility to make sense of what has been learned in school. As lifelong learning is increasingly drawing interest, health care leaders should encourage creative and newer strategies to engage health care personnel in lifelong learning.

Biography

Gilmore G Solidum is a Professor at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the city of Manila) and was former Dean of the College of Nursing and University Registrar of the same institution. Dr. Solidum is a registered nurse and a licensed professional teacher. Aside from his basic nursing education, he is a holder of a master’s degree in psychology and nursing and has a doctorate in management. Dr. Solidum is an awarded educator and researcher. His involvement goes beyond the academe as he is also active in professional development activities and community development initiatives.
Email:ggsolidum@plm.edu.ph