International
Nurses Share Expertise with International EKA Hospital Group
Two Cedars-Sinai Emergency Room (ER) nurses recently returned from a transformative two-week teaching mission at EKA Health System in Jakarta, Indonesia. MaryAnn Rodgers, RN, and Priscilla Babila, MSN, RN, led specialized training programs for Jakarta-based nurses drawing from Cedars-Sinai’s Emergency Department curriculum.
During the training, Rodgers and Babila shared critical knowledge on managing stroke, heart attacks, pediatric emergencies and trauma care. The program was tailored to meet the specific needs of EKA Hospital Group, which is rapidly expanding and recruiting new staff across its seven hospitals. Representatives from each hospital participated in the training.
The training initiative is a result of a 2022 agreement between Cedars-Sinai and EKA Hospital Group (EHG), one of Indonesia's largest private healthcare entities. It’s aimed at enhancing the quality of clinical services and helping transform the health system.
EKA and Cedars-Sinai agreed to focus first on emergency medicine and trauma care. “The Emergency workshop was a transformative learning opportunity for the EKA Hospital team that will sharpen the emergency response skills essential for delivering swift and effective care in emergency situations,” said Dr. Gracia Yudo, EKA Hospital Group’s director of Medical, Ancillary, Quality and Patient Safety.
Rich in experience, the nurses in Jakarta were eager to learn how to impart their extensive first-hand knowledge, said Rodgers. Therefore, one of the main objectives was to systematically teach subjects in a way that empowered them as effective educators.
While in Jakarta, Rodgers and Babila noticed an initial tendency among nurses to defer to physicians for diagnoses. However, by the end of the training, the nurses showed increased confidence in patient assessments and were more comfortable sharing their clinical judgements.
“I was deeply impressed by Cedars-Sinai’s seamless processes and standards, which are novel to many international healthcare systems,” said Babila. “We do incredible things at Cedars-Sinai to provide the best patient care. It was eye-opening to see other institutions and rewarding to be able to spread our knowledge as far as Indonesia.”
This training mission was unique, not only for the valuable knowledge shared but because it represented a departure from the norm, where physicians typically lead international educational efforts. This time, the spotlight was on nursing education.
“The emergency workshop provided a vital hands-on learning experience, empowering our healthcare professionals with enhanced skills in rapid response and critical decision-making,” Dr. Yudo said. “It elevated our team's readiness and proficiency in handling acute medical situations.”
The shared vision and mutual respect between Cedars-Sinai and EKA Hospital Group have laid the groundwork for future collaborations. Cedars-Sinai is committed to supporting the growth and development of EKA and enhancing the local healthcare service in Indonesia through different types of engagements.
