In August and September, representatives from RNAO were invited* to visit BPSOs in Negros, an island in the Philippines, and China. 

In Negros in August, Suman Iqbal, senior manager for the Long-Term Care Best Practices Program, was joined by Beatriz Jackson, who is an alumni of the island’s Silliman University Medical Center (SUMC). Jackson spearheaded the efforts for SUMC to become the first Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) in that country.

 Dumaguete, a town on the island’s east coast, was built around SUMC, and hosts an annual parade to celebrate the school and hospital. It used the occasion this year to thank RNAO for the historic partnership. SUMC selected three guidelines for implementation: breastfeeding, pressure injuries and vascular access. 

In September, RNAO IABPG Associate Director Heather McConnell and Toronto Public Health BPSO co-ordinator May Tao delivered a four-day orientation to Lanzhou University in central China, which is beginning its work. They also conducted audits at Peking University First Hospital and China-Japan Friendship Hospital, both in Beijing. 
McConnell says she is struck by how dedicated and systematic the Chinese hospitals are: “They’re extremely committed to improving nursing practices and patient outcomes.”