In many communities or villages where resources are scarce, community

health practice aims to ensure optimum use of these resources through partnership

between professional health workers or change agents, members of the community

and representatives of organizations involved with the development programs. This

partnership focuses on mutual responsibilities and joint efforts at minimizing or

overcoming risks and health problems to achieve health development goals. Through

partnership, health programs or projects become more effective and relevant because

those who are directly affected by these programs participate in the development,

implementation and evaluation.

Having been stated about family, it is important to be able to recognize its

needs such as addressing health care needs of the family. To be able to do it, we must

undergo family health care process. It is defined as a level community health care

practice directed or focused on the family as the basic unit of care. It utilizes series of

deliberate purposeful and interactive activities performed by both of the health

worker and the family client in a systematic manner. It is geared towards the

achievement of the clients request for health care such as health promotion, health

maintenance, disease prevention and or care and rehabilitation of the existing ailment.

The family health care process would entail its components: Assessment, Diagnosis,

Planning, Implementation and Evaluation. It is like the nursing care plan however

more than one person is involved; hence care is generalized not individualized.

Some Problems observed during the community immersion were the following:

-Health conditions that needs immediate interventions like hypertension, asthma,

wound infections, thyroid problems, arthritis and post- stroke patients.

-Lack of healthcare facilities that are needed to meet the needs of community people.

-Unsanitary health practices like vulgar waste disposal. Families still practice open pit

dumping of waste which can be a root to attract rodents and insects that can bring

different kings of deadly diseases.

-Unhygienic comfort rooms like open pit privy that can be a habitation of illness-

producing insects and rodents.

- Stray dogs, chicken and goat that wander off the road may be carriers of infections

and diseases like rabies, skin problems and etcetera.

- Poor hygiene observed as evident by body odors, unclean clothes, unkempt hair,

uncut dirty nails, and non-use of regular proper hand washing techniques.

- Lack of health equipments for emergency cases like stretchers and other transport

facilities for transporting patients from sitios who are far from the main road.

Lack of health care facilities and supplies especially medications has been observed

during the community immersion. Often times the barangay clinic was not open so it

was not being utilized by the community folks. Balakbak covers a wide area, houses

are too far from each other thus making it difficult for the barangay health worker to

conduct home visit aside from the fact that the nurse lacks equipment

Most of the people lives a very simple thus some especially the elderly has low

salience regarding their health conditions. They have different views on treatments

and interventions; most of them rely on traditional way of healing. Adults and the

young ones are not that very particular with their health status. Aside from having no

worries as long as they are asymptomatic their beliefs are also affected by the

teachings passed on through generations. Financial difficulties and lack of resources

are often the main reason why they neglect regular medical consultations. When they

are confronted with such symptoms they find a way to seek medical consultation at

the municipal proper (LOMON) to get rid of the symptom and prevent complication.

They are aware of the different ways of medicating yet at times they tend to rely on

this knowledge.

Source of drinking water is the spring. It has been noted that recently consecutive

typhoons and disasters had been experienced thus may cause alteration on the safety

of the spring for drinking, most household claims that they apply no further

treatments with the water and drink it straight from the faucet.

Since balakbak has a wide range of forests and trees, insects also reside on the

place. This prompts everybody to observed safety measures with regards with to the

environment. Poor environmental sanitation has been observed, stagnant water near

the houses plus the garbage dumps may lead to the presence of breeding sites wor

insects and rodents causing different illness.

Strengths of the community include willingness to participate and follow

programs being implemented yet still they need assistance and re-evaluation.

Generally they are nice and accommodating, violence was not observed during the

community immersion. Planned meetings and seminars were announced verbally by

the officials. Majority of the community folks who receive the news attends these

major activities. Transportation facilities also developed through times, the villagers

claimed that jitneys and buses are made available during the day and private vehicles

were sometimes available for rent. However, the roads and bridges were destroyed by

the previous typhoons making it difficult for them to travel. Roads were constructed

lately and some also sloughs off due to the said conflict.

Political conflicts and rivalry is not implicated. The leaders have the initiative to

act upon these conflicts only that they also lack funds.

With these problems being mentioned, the following are the major concerns and

issues that branched out:

the barangay health workers expresses their concern on the problems

regarding health care needs such as immunization and health care facilities

Distance covered from each sitio and the lack of health personnel to go

around makes it difficult for the community to ascertain health needs

Since many community folks are asymptomatic and experience no sign of

being ill they neglect medical consultation

Awareness of their disease condition doesn’t mean full compliance to the

medication due to lack of financial ability

Problems on proper garbage disposal and other environmental concerns such

as presence of mosquitoes, flies and rodents doesn’t seem to bother the

community folks due to reasons of being used to it, they see no consequences

regarding that matter.

CHAPTER VSUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARYSummarizaed activities that were conducted by the BSN3 – C batch 2012 student nurses of Saint Louis University in Barangay Balakbak, Kapangan, Benguet to the differs sitios namely: Proper, Western and Eastern Legleg, Mangga, Buyot, Obellan, and Tagpaya during their community exposure for the first semester of school year 2010-2011 is presented in this chapter.The group had their community exposure under the supervision of Ms. Janice Masong and Ms. Cay Daryl Tabugader. During the first week, the group had an representation at he Kapangan Municipal Hall and Rural Health Unit, courtesy call to Barangay Captain James Bokilis, Jr. and home vistitsCONCLUSIONSThe group was able to implement and conduct all activities that were planned despite of limited time allotted for the rotation in the community. The group evaluated their course of action in every activity that gave them a sense of achievement and satisfaction.Community folks acquired supplementary knowledge about health related information. Most importantly, they were helped to build trust in their capability to work independently in planning for effective actions and looking for appropriate solutions. However, there were also barriers that interfere with their immersions in the community. The interaction in the community itself was difficult to accomplish due to communication barriers, behavioral and cultural differences between the community folks and students but these differences and barriers did not hinder in achieving a good and harmonious relationship between them.Community folks were eager to learn something by participating in health seminars conducted by students. The community people were able to express their concerns and voice out their needs which they consider as primary problems that needed to be addressed.RECOMMENDATIONSThe community immersion of section C at Balakbak, Kapangan, Benguet is in an enjoying and educational immersion. It was not only a worthwhile experience that taught us knowledge, skills and attitudes not only essential for practice of nursing but also to our lives especially in fulfillments of our aims. The lessons learned and the deeper understanding of community folks were never possible without the presence of obstacles that also strengthen that bond of the group.The common obstacles encountered by group were: pacing activities and distance needed for travel, language and cultural barriers, shy community folks, weather changes, rough terrains slippery pathways, wrong perception of roads and activities of nursing students and nurses in general.To the Barangay Officials:We encouraged the barangay official to continue supporting the barabgay health workers and activities proposed for the improvement and promotion of health services. They should help in identification of problems of the community and formation of programs that might help in alleviating those problems. It is highly recommended that they also coordinate and cooperate with the barangay health workers for the promotion and maintenance of health and wellness. We also encourage them to pursue with the income generating projects in order to start building up funds for extra activities. We also support them in their conduct of regular barangay check without the presence of student nurses and other concerned groups.To the Primary Health Care Providers:Further health teaching and information dissemination and current potential health threats in the area to follow up new and special cases to address health issues concerned with the community. During health teachings, they should actively participate to gain more knowledge especially updates on health issues. We also ask the help of the local

government to provide health facilities to aid the implementation of health. This would now address the problem on scarcity.To the community youth: We encourage the active participation and involve themselves in community activities or programs being conducted. We believe that through your active participation, you can utilize your leadership.To the community folksThey will be able to utilize and apply concepts being taught to them such as health teachings and information being disseminated to them to improve health condition. The incidence of acquiring diseases will be lessened. They should also participate with health care providers in the identification of problems and provision of care. Acquiring good health would mean that you are able to participate in building a better community.To the student nurse:We hope that you pursue teaching and educating the community folks, and as facilitators, being responsible in organizing activities and programs to improve the community. Hopefully, after we have rendered our services, they will be able to carry out what we have taught them and implement these on their own.