Angels Initiative, Boehringer Ingelheim’s global healthcare
advocacy program, is expanding its Stroke Nurse Masterclass nationwide to
empower more nurses and elevate stroke care standards. In partnership with the
Stroke Society of the Philippines (SSP) as the certifying body, the Stroke
Nurse Masterclass 2025 officially launches at New World Hotel, Makati, with a
mission to strengthen stroke care capabilities and drive better health outcomes
for stroke patients. The program has recently received official
endorsement from the World Stroke Organization, recognizing its excellence in
stroke education and its meaningful impact in advancing stroke care across the
Philippines, in support of WSO’s global mission.
Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and death in the Philippines, with an average of 63,804 deaths annually.[1] The gap in stroke awareness and insufficient training among health workers contribute to the challenges in providing timely and effective stroke care, underscoring the need for specialized training and increased awareness within the healthcare system.[2]
Stroke nurses play a vital role in bridging this gap,
ensuring that patients receive prompt, quality care to improve their outcomes.
They monitor early warning signs, responding in emergencies, supporting
treatment and rehabilitation, and guiding recovery.[3]
Their critical role demands comprehensive training to ensure they can deliver
high-quality, life-saving care to stroke patients.
“We’ve seen how empowered stroke nurses can make a real difference
in patient outcomes,” said Krissy Avestro, Stroke Care
Program Manager and Angels Initiative Lead.
“Their commitment and growing expertise are essential in elevating stroke care
standards nationwide. Through the Angels `Initiative, Boehringer Ingelheim
continues to support stroke care teams and drive meaningful change in
healthcare.”
The Stroke Nurse Masterclass has certified 55 nurses from North and Central Luzon and 110 from Visayas
and Mindanao. The program continues to build local capacity by training
nurses and improving hospital’s ability to deliver quality stroke care across
key regions in the Philippines.
“The Stroke Nurse Masterclass
ensures that our nurses are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to
deliver timely, high-quality care at every stage of the patient journey, "
said Dr. Maria Socorro Sarfati, Immediate Past President of Stroke Society of
the Philippines and founder
The Stroke Nurse Masterclass is a six-month certification program
with 8 modules, 32 lectures, and 8 skills workshops, designed to equip nurses
with essential skills and knowledge across all stages of stroke care — from
emergency response and acute management to rehabilitation and long-term
prevention.
The program’s launch featured key lectures on Stroke Burden and
Risk Factors by Dr. Maria Socorro Sarfati, and Stroke Pathogenesis and Subtypes
by Dr. Maria Epifania Collantes. These were followed by discussions on Nursing
Goals in the Stroke Continuum by Jhoanne Tumapang, RN, and an Overview of
Stroke Critical Care Nursing by Maria Isabelita Rogado, RN.
Participants also engaged in hands-on training through a skills
workshop covering the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS),
Registry of Stroke Care Quality (RES-Q), Stroke Quality Monitoring,
Neuroimaging in Stroke, and the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS) Protocol.
The remaining modules and workshops will be conducted online
through the Angels Initiative website, covering critical topics such as
pre-hospital stroke management, the pathogenesis of acute ischemic stroke,
hyperacute stroke care, management of increased intracranial pressure, stroke
complications, stroke quality data and rehabilitation, and reintegration of
stroke patients into the community.
To complete the program, nurses must obtain NIHSS certification,
finish the ANGELS Stroke Basics for Nurses course, and pass a final examination
during the SSP annual convention in August 2025.
The continued partnership between Angels Initiative and SSP has
been instrumental in empowering stroke nurses and building a more resilient and
capable stroke care system, fostering a community of champions dedicated to
elevating care standards in their institutions.
“Our ongoing collaboration with
Angels Initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening healthcare
systems and improving stroke care quality across the country, ”said Dr. Ma. Cristina Macrohon-Valdez, President of
Stroke Society of the Philippines.
Through the Angels Initiative, Boehringer Ingelheim reinforces its
commitment to building resilient healthcare systems by expanding training
access, empowering healthcare providers, and driving sustainable improvements
in stroke care through innovation, capacity building, and strategic
partnerships.
Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that transform lives, today and for generations to come. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term, sustainable perspective. More than 53,000 employees serve over 130 markets in the two business units Human Pharma and Animal Health. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
[1] National Library of Medicine. Stroke systems of care
in the Philippines: Addressing gaps and developing strategies. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9729337/#B7. Accessed March 24, 2025.
[2] National Library of Medicine. Current State of Stroke
Care in the Philippines. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8415827/. Accessed March 24, 2025.
[3] BMC Nursing. The impact of education/training on
nurses caring for patients with stroke: a scoping review. https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-024-01754-x. Accessed March 24, 2025.
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