Holding the line against infectious diseases
Nurses from across the Philippines have been engaged in a nationwide effort to intensify tuberculosis (TB) case-finding, diagnosis and treatment. Their understanding of best practice and correct clinical management is essential to reducing TB.
Collaborating across disciplines
Misako Miyazaki worked as a nurse in the wake of devastating earthquakes in Japan. She has developed an innovative course for public health nurses, on approaches for building community resilience, health literacy and leadership. Her work, which reflects the growing trend of tackling disasters before they happen, involves collaborating with scientists, geologists, weather experts, horticulturalists and government officials.
Reaching the unreached
The Republic of Kiribati is spread over vast areas of the central-western Pacific Ocean. Access to health care can be a challenge on sparsely populated islets without their own clinic. Immunization services and other primary health care services are delivered in health centres and dispensaries. Baaua was responsible for the implementation, management and evaluation of the measles and rubella vaccination programme across the country.
Investing in midwife education
Papua New Guinea has worked with the WHO Collaborating Centre - University of Technology Sydney to build midwifery capacity in the country. The number of midwifery schools was increased, and a standard curriculum and accreditation process introduced along with teaching resources. This has helped to improve the country’s maternal and child health outcomes and expand the midwifery workforce.
Upscaling the health workforce
The Community Health Worker Programme of Fiji aims to bring care closer to peoples’ homes through community engagement. Leong’s advocacy and the efforts of the CHWP in empowering community health workers and upscaling nurses to take on roles traditionally filled by practitioners or consultants has resulted in 1,400 trained community health workers in every village, including those in remote locations.
Providing specialist care
In an initiative to integrate specialist palliative care into residential care for older people in Canberra, Australia, nurse specialists conduct regular palliative care needs rounds at aged care facilities. They support staff to recognise deterioration and dying, and to make individual end-of-life plans for these residents.
Advising families on health
Among health workers, nurses and midwives spend the most time caring for and interacting with patients. They take on multiple roles, occasionally acting as life coaches and health advisers for patients and their families. Dang Thi My Na trains the parents of pre-term and low-birthweight babies on Kangaroo mother care (KMC). This technique involves keeping the babies skin-to-skin contact with their mother or other family members, exclusive breastfeeding, and close monitoring of danger signs and illnesses. KMC is recommended by WHO to improve preterm birth outcomes.
