Title: Improving Community Health Workers’ Attitudes toward Collaborative Practice in the Care of

Older Adults: An In-Service Training Intervention Trial in the Philippines

Authors: Canila

Date of Publication: September 23, 2021

Abstract:

This study's goal was to assess how well a short-term in-service training program improved
community health workers' (CHWs') attitudes toward, preparation for, and actions related to collaboration
in a primary care setting in the Philippines. The participants were split into an intervention group (n = 42)
and a control group (n = 39) for a randomized controlled experiment. Utilizing three standardized
questionnaires, attitudes toward, preparation for, and actions related to collaboration were assessed prior
to and six months after the training. The Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCTS) scores in
the intervention (6.3 8.3 [Mean SD]) and control groups (0.7 8.2) showed a significant difference (p
0.001) between pre- and post-test. After adjusting for participant age, years in the current occupation, and
social support role, multivariate linear regression analysis revealed an independent positive correlation
between the intervention and greater improvement in the ATHCTS score (Coefficient = 6.17; 95% CI =
0.82, 11.53; p = 0.03) at follow-up. The outcomes showed that the intervention was effective in changing
CHWs' attitudes regarding teamwork in the care of senior citizens.
Reflection

Our clinical instructors taught us how attitude is really important in the field of being
professional. To be professional, you need to have professionalism and apply it immensely thus, this
would give you the perfect image of being professional. There are a ton of elements that we must have as
a professional. That’s why being a community health worker requires skills, attitude, and intelligence. In
this reflection, I am going to mention thoughts and ideas that I needed to reflect in line with the academic
journal that I’ve prepared.

            Here in the Philippines, my family had experienced low quality community health services
because of the nurse’s attitude when conducting the weekly check-up. It’s like the nurse is being forced to
do the job. I understand the stress that they are undergoing. However, she/he is professional and they
can’t work with an attitude like that. Including other thoughts, nurses in the hospital sometimes are being
rude as well. Perhaps it’s due to the stressful working place and environment, especially in general or
public hospitals. The work there is terribly overdosing. On the contrary, I think they are just clearly
lacking or forgetting how important attitude is, especially in the field. This kind of training program will
elevate their sense of professionalism in a gradual significant way.

            No matter how skillful and intelligent a person is, if that individual doesn’t have a good attitude in
the field, it’s nothing. Attitude for me is a great contributing factor in everything, in school, family, and in
job. It helps you to establish rapport and build relationships wherever and whenever an individual is.
Thus, this would lead to a more efficient nursing process as a nurse or student nurse. Attitude is an
important aspect to express the skills and intelligence that lies beneath within the person.