An Experience in Community Immersion

Edmar D. Libayo relates his experiences.

Community duty will be one of the best parts of my being a student nurse because I know I will learn a lot, not only in skills but also in values. For some, it is like wasting their time because instead of acquiring different skills in the hospital they are sent to the community just to be with the folks.

I was able to experience community duty during my second year at Saint Louis University but it was only within Baguio City. Before community duty, it was already in my thoughts that it was a lot easier compared from a duty at the hospital. I was able to knock on every stranger’s door overcoming myself and talked to the residents. In here, I learned that community duty is not an ordinary activity for a student nurse.

Our community duty was at Cayapes, Kapangan, Benguet and we stayed there for seven days.

It was on August 9, 2010 when we left SLU campus at about 7:30 AM and arrived at the Kapangan town at about 10 AM. We had a courtesy call with the staff of the municipal mayor.

We got at the staff house in Cayapes at about 11 AM. We had our lunch and prepared for a long walk and an ocular survey of the place. We went first to the highest part of the barangay which is Lokot. It was tiring because of the steep slopes that we walked on but it was worth our tiredness because of the beautiful view when we reached the topmost area. We rested for a while there then walked down to Saddle which is the farthest and the way was a terrain of the fields. On our way, it started to rain hard that it mixed up with our sweat. Some of my group mates grew up from the cities so it was there first time to be walking on a muddy path and on the terrain of the fields based on my observation that time. I, with my male group mate helped them in climbing and going down the slopes. We went to Dagao passing through Poblacion, Cayapes then went back at the staff house at already 5:30 PM. After that day, I realized that adapting easily to a new environment is the best weapon anywhere we go or whenever we are in a different setting.

Even if everything was taught to us in the school, it doesn’t mean that we can easily perform in the community because we can’t assure that all the folks will believe us. Patience is still important for we must repeat and repeat what we know is good for them.