Filipinos are known to be a proud and resilient race. We are highly regarded as hospitable, hardworking, compassionate, and caring. And we are deeply faithful and have strong family ties. 

Today, the Philippines continues to be the primary source of professional nurses to the US and other countries. Due to the pandemic, the healthcare industry is the most vulnerable when it comes to the virus since they care for and are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients. 

In September 2020, the largest nursing union in the US found that 67 out of 213 registered nurses who died of COVID-19 are Filipinos. And that is an astounding rate that shows how Filipino nurses are disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Despite the heightened risk and all the hardships, everyone in the front line continues to fight COVID-19. So for today’s episode, we will be listening to four esteemed guests fo who are in the frontlines to share their experiences and realizations during this pandemic.

We will be discussing the three factors why Filipino nurses are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, the approaches of the Kabalikat Program, and why self-care should be highlighted during this pandemic.

Our deep connections and culture make this pandemic more personal and significant for the Filipino community. We should remember that not all heroes wear capes - some wear PPE, scrubs, and masks.

Memorable Quotes:

• Collaboration is key nowadays, especially as we battle the pandemic. - Julieta Gabiola
• We are not just heroes. We are also human beings who have limitations, who have vulnerabilities. - Igor Mocorro
• You cannot give yourself if you have nothing to give. You have to protect yourself first. - Igor Mocorro
• It's not the lack of self-care, but by culture, we Filipinos are selfless and we like to help. - Julieta Gabiola
• One of the purposes of the COVID-19 task force is to develop programs to cater to the psychological, physical, mental, including educational and spiritual needs of our members. - Jennifer Aying
• We should teach people resilience but we have to also take care of our mental health. - Julieta Gabiola
• The survey “Emotions Behind the Masks”, we want to understand how are the emotional state of our nurses, and the result of that survey. - Mary Joy Dia
• We nurses are in direct care to COVID patients and exposure, and the long hours that we work, just put that as high your risk for contracting the virus.  Emily Danuco
• Nurses are our unsung heroes. We are nurses. We are not invincible and we have to take care of ourselves, too. - Jennifer Aying
• Self-care is something that is broad. - Igor Mocorro
• Filipino Americans are three times more likely to have comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, both risk factors of the COVID-19 illness. -  Jennifer Aying
• Self-care extends beyond our own capability. - Julieta Gabiola
• Continue to stay vigilant. Don't be complacent.  - Mary Joy Dia
• Self-care is being well-informed, being careful, and staying safe. - Jennifer Aying
• Filipino nurses, we came here to the United States because not only to earn, we want to help, not only ourselves but also our family.  - Igor Mocorro

About the Guests:

Dr. Jennifer Aying is a nurse practitioner at the VA Boston Healthcare and holds a doctorate in Nursing Practice. She is Chair of the Philippine Nurses Association of America COVID-19 Task Force which assesses the impact of the pandemic and develops programs for the physical, psychological, emotional, educational, as well as healthcare to heal the nurses. 

Emily Danuco is the current president of the PNAA Western Region COPRR and president of the  Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Far Eastern University. She is a Liver Transplant Coordinator at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. She is a single mother of one who is following her footsteps in nursing. 

Dr. Mary Joy Garcia- Dia also has a doctorate in Nursing Practice, Master’s Degree in Nursing Informatics. She is the current President-elect of the Philippine Nurses Association of America. She was a member of the National Advisory Committee for Research on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Health funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Dr. Garcia Dia has a clinical background in Critical Care Nursing and Nursing Informatics. She recently published a book, Project Management in Nursing Informatics.  

Dr. Igor Mocorro, who also has a doctorate in Nursing Practice and practices as an Advanced Practice Nurse, a family nurse practitioner in California. He is the President-elect of the  Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California. He currently works as a nurse manager at the City and County of San Francisco.

About the Host:

Dr. Jette is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and the President & CEO of ABCs for Global Health. Click here for her full profile or read her full interview here.

About ABC's for Global Health:

ABCs for Global Health is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding practical​ solutions to health problems of disadvantaged and underserved communities. Their programs include telemedicine, research on nutrition and healthcare, and disaster response.

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