In general, there is no difference in the kind of care that nurses provide.
"Wala namang masyadong deperensa aside from the physical activities sa mga nurses. Looking after all patients, from children to aged care to prisoners, we still call them patients when it comes to looking after them, it's always centred to the patients," says Francis Bernard Balagtas who has worked with caring for children, aged care and prisoners in his 14 years working as a nurse.
Mr. Balagtas has also worked as a property marketing director and a director/talent manager but chooses to continue with his nursing career.In the entirety of his career, Mr Balagtas has looked after children, drug-and-alcohol and aged care patients, and now currently works as a nursing unit manager for the Long Bay Hospital, a maximum security facility which holds a total of 120 inmate patients in four wards.
Francis Balagtas (left) with his sister Miss Philippines-Australia & Miss Charity Queen 2013 Melanie Balagtas during SBS Radio guesting in 2013 (SBS Filipino) Source: SBS Filipino
"The only difference is, maybe, for children, you also deal with the parents and other family members. That would also be the same with aged-care patients. The main thing that we always focus on is on the "patient centred-care". We focus more on providing those care towards the patient, hindi yung namimili ka ng aalagaan mo," reiterates the Justice health nursing unit manager.
That is why Balagtas is proud to be working with other nurses in particular Filipino nurses as he knows that he is assured that these nurses have the best work ethics, hard working and truly care for their patients.