American College of Nursing

Gabi ng Bayanihan May 24, 2010

Bayanihan is a Filipino term that refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective. The term originated from a common tradition in Philippine towns where men in the community work together to help a family move their home. This practice required the men to carry the whole house on their shoulders using a frame made of bamboo poles. Today, Bayanihan is also used to refer to a local civil effort to resolve national issues.

On Sunday, June 20th ACN will be hosting “Gabi ng Bayanihan” (A Night of Nation-building), a fundraising effort to benefit Bantay Bata, a program of the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. that services the needs of abused, sick, neglected, and abandoned Filipino children. The event will include cultural dances, folk, rock, and hip hop music.

The benefit show will be held on June 20, 2010 at the Grand Ballroom in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Concord from 7-10 pm. Tickets will be sold for $10 at the door, but will be available for advanced purchase via paypal for $8. The opening act will feature local performers of the Maharlika Cultural Troupe, Inc., a non-profit organization that seeks to preserve Filipino heritage by teaching traditional dances to youth in the community. Other acts include Kulintronica, a performance by musician Ronald Quesada showcasing the unique sounds of the kulitang a percussive instrument common among cultures of the Southern Philippines.

Fil-Am Invitational Basketball League All-Star Weekend May 17, 2010

A late congratulations to Charles Cadiz who represented the American College of Nursing (ACN) at the Fil-Am Invitational Basketball League (FIBL) All-Star Weekend fundraiser and dominated the three-point shootout. The champion of the three-point shootout was awarded a trophy and a generous $300 cash prize, courtesy of ACN.

The tournament was held on Saturday, April 24, 2010, to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the Pasig River. Through the support of the American College of Nursing, the FIBL organized the event, called “A Shot for the River”, which was held at the El Rancho Gym in Hayward, CA.

Today, the Pasig River is one of the most polluted and toxic river systems in the Philippines. Once a a major transport route, the 27-kilometer stretch of water passes through Metro Manila and connects the Laguna de Bay to the Manila Bay.

Thanks to various fundraisers, including the $10 buy-in for the three-point shootout, the six hour event managed to raise around $2,000 for the Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig River project, which is translated: Linking Arms for the Pasig River.

Thank you again to all those who came out to the event to support the players and the cause.

How Have You Been Affected By the Shortage of Nurses? April 1, 2010

Everyone knows about the shortage of nurses in the United States, but few have asked themselves, “How does the shortage of nurses affect me?” To answer the question, you may need a bit of information about what nurses do.

Registered nurses (RNs) provide direct care for patients in acute care settings (59% are in hospitals), in public health programs, home health, long term care, correctional facilities, schools, doctors’ offices, summer camps, and in the military. RNs also work in jobs that do not provide direct patient care such as: infection control nurses, nurse administrators, legal nurse consultants and nurse educators. The roles and settings for RNs to work are varied and every potential site for a nurse to work is affected by the shortage.

Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) provide basic bedside care for patients in a variety of settings. LVNs work in clinics, long term care/rehabilitation facilities (75% are in nursing-homes), correctional facilities, doctors’ offices and in home health care. LVNs care for patients under the direction of RNs or MDs. Patients need care 24 hours a day, and nurses (both RNs and LVNs) work a variety of hours and days. LVNs also work in jobs that do not provide direct patient care such as: staff developers, administrators, educators and consultants.

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