Habang nagpipista ang lahat sa kontrobersyal na Desperate Housewives issue tungkol sa pag insulto nito sa ating Medical Schools dito sa Pilipinas, ito naman ang isang pamatid uhaw na balita para sa ating lahat.

A Filipino-American Senior Nurse Lily Maniquiz Lara based in Los Angeles, a nurse manager of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s Nursing Home Care Unit 213-2 was named one of the Best Nurse Leaders of the United States by winning the 2006 ADVANCE for Nurses Journal’s Best Nurse Leader award.

Vital to her winning was the successful implementation of a program that she created for the reduction of patient fall incidents. The program has been adopted as model for other fall prevention programs. “I was challenged by my senior leadership team to address the increasing patient fall incidents in our unit. What I did was, together with my multi-disciplinary staff, implement specific changes that became a four-pronged approach to reduce patient falls,” Lara said.

Ang sabi pa niya, “self-discipline and fortitude to complete a college education at the Manila Central University that equipped me with the essential ability to understand my patients. It is with this same discipline and education that I am able to step back and allow my disruptive patients to verbalize their anger and frustration; the same education that provided me with the skills to use de-escalating and therapeutic listening interventions to calm them down and guide them back to civility and reality.”

All good managers know any goal is a team effort. Nothing gets accomplished in a vacuum. While openly honored and flattered by her new designation as Best Nurse Leader, Lara admittedly acknowledges those who have helped her achieve her distinguished accomplishments.

Ito pa ang sabi ni Lara para sa mga Pinoy Nurses natin, “My advise to Filipino nurses is that it is not enough to dream. Work hard to accomplish your dream. Love and be passionate about nursing. Nursing is caring for the patient with integrity and commitment,” Lara said.

Nakakataba ng puso ang balitang hatid sa atin ni Lara. Napakahalaga sa ating mga Pinoy ang tagumpay na ito upang makabawas naman ng kahit kaunti sa hindi magandang impresyon na idinulot ng kaganapan nuong isang taon sa isyu ng Nursing Board Exam. Sana’y magsilbing inspirasyon ito sa lahat ng taong nagbibigay dungis sa reputasyon sa ating mga Pinoy Nurses.

“I am confident that the work that I have done will be carried on by the future nursing leaders. Patient-centered care is more than a protocol. It is part of our Filipino personality and I am truly proud of it,” Lara concluded.

Mabuhay ang mga Pinoy Nurses! Mabuhay ka Lara! Certified Proud Pinoy!