PHILIPPINE NURSES ASSOCIATION OF INDIANA, INC. (PNA-IN)

Since its inception in 1999, the Philippine Nurses Association of Indiana (PNA-IN) has been committed to unifying Filipino- American nurses in Indiana through networking, education, community outreach and social events. From its humble beginnings of 16 founding members, PNA-IN has grown to become a strong chapter of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA), proudly hosting one of the largest PNAA national conventions in Indianapolis in June 2000.

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MISSION

PNA-IN is a membership organization whose mission is to promote the welfare and well-being of Filipino-American nurses in Indiana. We amplify their unified voices, by advocating on behalf of their interests, and providing resources to facilitate their empowerment and promote their professional growth. We promote health and continue our life’s work by providing health education and healthcare services to the community.

 

VISION

PNA-IN’s vision is to serve as the voice of all Filipino-American nurses and promote unity, growth, service, visibility, viability, and vitality.

 

VALUES

• Diversity and Inclusion: Membership is open to any professional nurse of Philippine or non-Philippine ethnic origin as well as any individual who is enrolled as a nursing student in Indiana. We promote activities that unify the Filipino-American nurses in Indiana and welcome diverse perspectives. Our primary goal is to serve as a voice for all Filipino-American nurses.

• Collaboration: PNA-IN aims: (1) to create an environment that will enhance the professional growth of nurses through networking with other professional organizations and agencies; (2) to establish a support group that would aid Filipino-American Nurses and facilitate professional and cultural advancement in the United States of America; (3) to support the goals and objectives of the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. (PNAA).; and (4) to encourage active participation in community activities.

• Accountability: PNA-IN strives for transparency and hold each other accountable to our goals and to uphold the professionalism of Filipino-American Nurses in Indiana.

• Integrity: PNA-IN strives to do what is right and what is in the best interest of Filipino-American nurses.

• Justice: PNA-IN will speak out against injustices, promote civil rights for our nursing community, and provide for legal representation for nurses of Filipino heritage.

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BENEFITS TO MEMBERS

1. EDUCATION

   • As a PNA-IN member, you become a member of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) and the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurses of America (NCEMNA).

   • You will learn about the latest research and best practices in nursing, as well as issues affecting Filipino-American nurses at our annual international, national and regional conferences.

     • We offer members a discounted registration rate for meetings and partial reimbursement for your expenses at these events. Locally, PNA-IN offers a free educational seminal bi-annually in the Spring and Fall.

2. Professional Development

   • You will have opportunities to present abstracts and research at our conferences and publish articles in the peer reviewed PNAA Journal of Nursing Practice Applications & Reviews of Research.

   • PNA-IN values and encourages its members to acquire advanced degrees and certifications by providing scholarship grants to achieve these goals. You also have access to scholarship grants from PNAA and NCEMNA.

3. Philanthropy

   • PNA-IN makes every effort to provide aid to members and their families who are in need of financial and other forms of support. Philanthropic activities include:

     • PNA-IN raised funds to help purchase three homes in the PNAA Gawad Kalinga (GK) Village in the Philippines for economically disadvantaged families.

     • PNA-IN raised funds to assist Typhoon Ondoy victims and Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

     • In May 2020, PNA-IN provided COVID-19 food aid through the Philippine Humanitarian Coalition (PHC) and National Federation of Filipino Ethnic Minorities (NaFFAA) Tulong Sulong Program to Fight Hunger.

       • We provided bags of food to the recently relocated poor people of Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Food bag donations were distributed by the Olivia Yanson Foundation coordinated by Pia Marie Yanson Ortaliz and Bacolod Councilor Cindy Rojas.

4. Networking

   • PNA-IN collaborates with other Filipino Associations, like the Indiana Philippine Medical Association (IPMA), Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET) of Indiana to provide activities for healthcare promotion and prevention at the AAAI’s Asian Fest, Barangay Club’s Philippine Fiesta and annual International Festival conducted by the Nationalities Council of Indiana.

5. Leadership

   • As a PNA-IN member, you will have opportunities to serve in leadership positions on our chapter’s board and committees, at the national level, and in the community.

   • You will have access to the Leadership Training Institute held at the national and regional conferences, free of charge to Chapter Presidents and President-Elects or at minimum charge to members.

   • As a valued member, you will be eligible to receive awards for Excellence in Leadership, Education, Research, Nursing Informatics, Administration and Entrepreneurship.

   • PNAA chapters have the opportunity to bid for the host of either the regional or national convention.

   • You will be able to influence legislation and public policy that directly and indirectly affect nursing, e.g. establishing Manila, Philippines as a NCLEX-RN Testing Site outside the US.

     • PNA-IN petitioned the Indiana State Board of Nursing to remove the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nurses (CGFNS) Exam as a prerequisite to RN licensure in the State of Indiana. This was approved by the Board, but it is still in the process, waiting for the Rule Change to be approved by the Governor of Indiana.

     • PNA-IN hosted three nursing faculty from St. Paul University Iloilo for an international exposure to excellence in nursing education and practice at the University of Indianapolis and Indiana University Health.

6. Volunteering

   • PNA-IN members volunteer at numerous events throughout the community year-round. Some examples are volunteering in the Indy 500 Mini-Marathon and conducting free health promotion and wellness screenings, including BP, BMI, Hgb A1c and cardio-lipid testing, and medical and dental consults at the local and state festivals and church events.

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Submitted By: Matilde S. Upano, MSN, RN, FNP-BC

PNA-IN President 2020 - 2022