Dr. Annabelle Borromeo: Making Valuable Filipino Nurses Everywhere

She all have what it takes to succeed more in the gruelling world of competitive nursing in the US. But decided to go home and found the value of her nursing calling. When she finally heeded the call to come home more than a decade ago, she took a leap of faith.

Prof. Annabelle Borromeo, RN Ph.D got the most extensive credentials in the country today. Both her nursing practice and nursing education experiences are superb marked by a colorful career that spanned a number of years. Dr. Borromeo is now the dean of the Institute of Nursing, Far Eastern University. Prior to that job, she was the first VP for Patient Care Services of the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang.

After receiving a diploma (GN) program from the UP-PGH School of Nursing in Manila in 1976, she immediately pursued a BSN from the St. Louis University College of Nursing in 1978. She likewise received has MSN degree major in Critical Care Education from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas in 1988, and aPhD Major in Nursing, Minor in Statistics from the Texas Woman'sUniversity in 1998.

She started out as a staff nurse in the ICU of the Hendrick MedicalCenter, then moved to the St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital Texas HeartInstitute in 1981 as a staff nurse in theC CU, and then after 2 years got promoted to Unit Teacher and eventually Nurse Manager of the Heart Transplant Unit.

She took a brief hiatus in the Philippines but went back to the States to take on a Nurse Manager position in a Cardiovascular Unit and since then have fulfilled a variety of roles at St. Luke's (nurse liaison consultant, staffnurse in both 3ICU and PACU).

After 18 years at St. Luke's, she moved to the home health arena assuming posts such as Quality Officer and Director of Nursing in various home health agencies. After earning a Ph.D, she also dabbled in consulting works through her firm (Borromeo & Associates) whose main expertise is assisting home health agencies with Joint Commission accreditation or systems/performance improvement.

Dr. Borromeo who is in the States as of presstime was gracious to accomodate our email interview.

1. We understand that you have a storied nursing career in the US? What motivated you to go back to the Philippines?

When I first got to the States in the late 70's, I had a very difficult adjustment because my background was in Rural Health Nursing. The very first assignment that was given me was the ICU of a very busytrauma center in West Texas. Therefore, I felt totally lost and unprepared, and committed many, many mistakes, fortunately, none of which was serious enough to kill a patient. Those boo-boos, though, however minor(i.e. from mispronouncing words, to a very real fear of the telephone, to calling the doctor and hanging up because I get tongue-tied) did not make for a very good impression of Filipino nurses among my American colleagues. I felt that I was very unprepared to step into the role of an ICU nurse. Night after night, during the first 6 months, I would silently lick my wounds and cry and it even sometimes got to the point where my constant prayer was for the Lord to take me. Then, I realized that, if I went in with a defeatist attitude, I would get nowhere. And slowly, I built my self-confidence enough to take one small step at a time. I somehow realized that no one was going to help me except myself, and that to be able to compete in the US, I had to "do more," "be more," and "try more." And that's what I did. Until I got to the point of being self-confident enough to assist with codes proficiently, call the physician and make recommendations for care, and advance in my clinical skills. Years later, after I obtained my master's degree from the Universityof Texas Health Science Center in Houston, I felt an uneasiness in my heart. I had everything actually... a great job, a happy marriage, nicethings, loving friends... but I wasn't completely happy. It took me 10 years to realize that my mission was to value, find value, add value,and make valuable Filipino nurses everywhere so that they don't undergo the same difficulties that I went through when I was new. That's when I started to think that I was being called to get back tothe Philippines. And when I finally decided to leave everything behind and heed my life's purpose call, I felt peaceful and the "hole in myheart" disappeared.

2. What are the major challenges faced by schools/colleges of nursingin the Philippines? What are the major directions of ADPCN in this area?

In particular, the FEU College of Nursing?

Challenges:

1. Dwindling clinical resources

2. Dearth of experienced nurse educators

3. Large volume of enrollment in nursing programs

4. Students who are not committed to the profession and are just"forced" by parents or circumstances to take up nursing

Directions of the FEU Institute of Nursing:

1. Optimization and maximization of technology to enhance deploymentof curriculum and monitoring of student and faculty performance throughthe use of electronic learning platforms

2. Optimal use of the Virtual Integrated Nursing Education Simulation(VINES) Laboratory which houses human patient simulators, and otherstate-of-the art equipment in a realistic hospital setting

3. Individualization of learning through the use of podcasts and vodcasts

4. Deployment of an active Peer Tutoring Program also called the Student Apprentice in Nurse Training (SAINT) Program

5. Threading through Evidence-Based Practice in the curriculum

6. Testing the Synergy Model in nursing education

ADPCN Directions:

1. Amassing of a large data base on a number of issues:

1.1. Demographics of nurse educators

1.2. Related Learning Experiences

1.3. Minimum requirements for competency acquisition in the OR,DR and newborn cord care

2. Equipping Deans with management and leadership skills.

3. Getting involved at the Policy Level regarding nursing education matters

Aside from being active in her parish activities, she is very much into research endeavors. In fact, she has on-going researches at FEU.

Truly, Dr. Borromeo found the real value of her profession back home.