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It is with great pride that I welcome you all to the Philippine Nurses Association
of Indiana, Inc.’s (PNA-IN) 5th Induction, Awards, and Fundraising event. We
are very happy that our guest of honor, PNAA Executive Director Mrs.
Remedios Solarte and her husband Dr. Cesar Solarte are able to join us
tonight. We also recognize the presence of Sofy Bole, PNAA North Central
Regional Liaison Officer. As the 5th president, I feel extremely fortunate to
lead this organization after almost a decade of progress, thanks to my
predecessors: Emma Tolentino, Felgrace James, Josie Jimenez, and Redd
Knotts.
We appreciate the continued support and generosity of our membership and
the Filipino community in Indiana and beyond. Thanks to the kindness of
Clarian Health, Community Health Network, Midwest Aids Training & Education
Center (MATEC), the recently retired Director and present Director of
Pediatric Anesthesia at the Riley Hospital for Children, Dr. Gopal Krishna and
Dr. William McNiece, and all our family and friends we will be able to fulfill our
mission which is to unify Filipino nurses, promote professional growth, provide
health information, and educational services to the community. We would also
be able to increase visibility, viability and vitality for the PNAA.
With funds generated from tonight’s fundraising activities we will also be able
to sustain our scholarship grants. We especially encourage our members to
obtain Bachelor’s Degrees, advanced/graduate degrees, and/or certifications
in nursing in order to meet the health system’s demand for nursing care and
for nurses with expanded education and skills. Certification signifies that the
individual possesses expert knowledge in that specialty and entitles that nurse
to earn a salary differential over non-certified colleagues. In addition, studies
from the Institute of Medicine have demonstrated that specialty-certified
nurses have higher rates of patient satisfaction and lower rates of work-
related errors in patient care.
As we go into the future, we strive to serve not only the Filipino nurses in
Indiana, but our colleagues in the Philippines as well. The PNAA has done a
tremendous job by getting the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN) to approve Manila as one of its international testing site for the
administration of the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX) - RN for
licensure of nurses to practice in the US and its territories on Feb. 8, 2007.
To complement this we will do our part by working on the removal of the
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Qualifying
Examination as a requirement for nurse licensure. Redd has started this
initiative by appointing a Task Force composed of Lena de Jesus and Emma
Tolentino. This is a huge undertaking as this needs legislation but working
together as a team we will be able to accomplish this and much more. .
Tonight, I thank you all in joining us as we celebrate all that PNA-IN has
already accomplished and also for your wishes that we have an even greater
tomorrow. Thank you and enjoy the evening.
Sincerely,
Mattie S. Upano, RN, MSN, APRN-BC, NP
of Indiana, Inc.’s (PNA-IN) 5th Induction, Awards, and Fundraising event. We
are very happy that our guest of honor, PNAA Executive Director Mrs.
Remedios Solarte and her husband Dr. Cesar Solarte are able to join us
tonight. We also recognize the presence of Sofy Bole, PNAA North Central
Regional Liaison Officer. As the 5th president, I feel extremely fortunate to
lead this organization after almost a decade of progress, thanks to my
predecessors: Emma Tolentino, Felgrace James, Josie Jimenez, and Redd
Knotts.
We appreciate the continued support and generosity of our membership and
the Filipino community in Indiana and beyond. Thanks to the kindness of
Clarian Health, Community Health Network, Midwest Aids Training & Education
Center (MATEC), the recently retired Director and present Director of
Pediatric Anesthesia at the Riley Hospital for Children, Dr. Gopal Krishna and
Dr. William McNiece, and all our family and friends we will be able to fulfill our
mission which is to unify Filipino nurses, promote professional growth, provide
health information, and educational services to the community. We would also
be able to increase visibility, viability and vitality for the PNAA.
With funds generated from tonight’s fundraising activities we will also be able
to sustain our scholarship grants. We especially encourage our members to
obtain Bachelor’s Degrees, advanced/graduate degrees, and/or certifications
in nursing in order to meet the health system’s demand for nursing care and
for nurses with expanded education and skills. Certification signifies that the
individual possesses expert knowledge in that specialty and entitles that nurse
to earn a salary differential over non-certified colleagues. In addition, studies
from the Institute of Medicine have demonstrated that specialty-certified
nurses have higher rates of patient satisfaction and lower rates of work-
related errors in patient care.
As we go into the future, we strive to serve not only the Filipino nurses in
Indiana, but our colleagues in the Philippines as well. The PNAA has done a
tremendous job by getting the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN) to approve Manila as one of its international testing site for the
administration of the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX) - RN for
licensure of nurses to practice in the US and its territories on Feb. 8, 2007.
To complement this we will do our part by working on the removal of the
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Qualifying
Examination as a requirement for nurse licensure. Redd has started this
initiative by appointing a Task Force composed of Lena de Jesus and Emma
Tolentino. This is a huge undertaking as this needs legislation but working
together as a team we will be able to accomplish this and much more. .
Tonight, I thank you all in joining us as we celebrate all that PNA-IN has
already accomplished and also for your wishes that we have an even greater
tomorrow. Thank you and enjoy the evening.
Sincerely,
Mattie S. Upano, RN, MSN, APRN-BC, NP
| PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS |