Care is not just what I do; it is who I choose to be, every single day.
When Audrey Chiara Magnaye stepped out of the airport in Abu Dhabi on 17 July 2017, it felt like walking into an oven. “Did I make the right decision coming here?” she asked herself. Today the nurse from Lucena City, Quezon, has 13 years in nursing behind her and works as a home care nurse with SEHA Al Rowdah Clinic, bringing care into the homes of local Emirati families.
Bringing the clinic home
Audrey felt truly tested in her current role. As a home care nurse, she visits patients in their homes, sometimes independently and sometimes alongside a physician. “In many ways, we bring the clinic to our patients,” she says. She performs ECGs, blood collection, catheter changes and other nursing interventions, all within the patient’s home. When she first accepted the role, she thought it would be routine home visits; there were moments she almost gave up, because working in a home is completely different from working in a hospital or clinic.
The challenges were many: a language barrier with elderly patients who speak only Arabic, the need to respect culture, traditions and personal space as a guest in their homes, travelling from house to house on a daily schedule, demanding documentation, staying connected by work phone even on the road, and weather that is extremely hot in some months and surprisingly cold in others. Unlike hospital nursing, home care also builds long-term relationships, with patients reaching out whenever they have concerns. Continuity of care, she says, is one of the most rewarding yet challenging parts of her job.
What helped her push through was dedication and patience. She kept reminding herself that mastery comes with time and experience, and that one day she would become more confident, develop an effective system and manage her responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed.
“Even though we come from different cultures and speak different languages, I always make them feel that they can rely on me, that I am their nurse.”
Beyond clinical skills, Audrey believes the greatest comfort she gives her patients is her kindness and sincerity. They know her care is genuine, and that she is ready to listen, support them and respond to their needs with compassion.
Calm in every storm
Audrey’s “why” after all these years is her ability to remain calm, even in the most stressful situations. Nursing can be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, but she reminds herself that she can still make a positive difference in someone’s life. Caring for others comes naturally to her: “Being compassionate, helpful, and empathetic is not something I switch on only when I wear my uniform; it is part of who I am.”
She hopes to be remembered as more than someone doing a job: as a nurse who genuinely cared for her patients and her colleagues, and who served with compassion, sincerity and malasakit, making people feel seen, supported and valued wherever she worked.
Sincerity, work ethic and family
For Audrey, the Filipino touch is sincerity, a strong work ethic and family-centred values. Sincerity is the foundation of nursing: “When your care is genuine, everything else follows naturally,” and patients can feel when concern is real. Filipino nurses, she says, are hardworking and adaptable, willing to learn and go the extra mile. And because family is at the heart of Filipino culture, she treats patients with warmth and respect while recognising the role their loved ones play in their healing, supporting the families who place their trust in nurses too.
“I believe these qualities combined with genuine malasakit are what make Filipino nurses respected and valued in healthcare systems around the world.”
Learning the language of her patients
Besides the climate, Audrey’s biggest challenge in the UAE was the language barrier with elderly patients, which directly affects how a nurse assesses, educates and cares. Sunscreen became a daily necessity in summer and, like many Filipinos, an umbrella became part of her routine. To bridge the language gap, she made a conscious effort to learn basic Arabic, especially the words and phrases used in patient assessments. Her Arabic-speaking colleagues patiently taught her new words and corrected her pronunciation, and she practised with her patients, even when her sentences were not perfect. “By God’s grace,” she says, she can now understand and speak Arabic well enough to build meaningful connections with her patients.
Shaped by home
Growing up in the Philippines taught Audrey respect, resilience and compassion early on, and her nursing education gave her a strong clinical foundation, discipline, professionalism and empathy. Most importantly, it taught her to stay calm under pressure, adapt to new situations and put patients first, values that helped her adjust to working in a different country and culture.
Leading under pressure
In challenging situations, Audrey believes staying calm is the first step to good decisions. She prioritises by the urgency of her patients’ needs, communicates openly with colleagues and works as a team, “because quality patient care is never achieved alone.” She stays flexible, finds practical solutions with the resources available without compromising patient safety, and treats colleagues with respect to keep the work environment positive.
“Remember that every sacrifice you make has a purpose. There will be difficult days, but don’t forget to take care of yourself as much as you care for others. Stay connected with your loved ones, lean on the friends who become your family abroad, and never be afraid to ask for help. Keep believing in yourself; every challenge you overcome makes you stronger, and your hard work will be worth it.
Above all, never forget God. Strengthen your relationship with Him through faith and prayer, because with His grace, nothing is impossible.”
Filipino Institute features Filipinos at home and abroad whose courage, sacrifice and success inspire others. Tell us your story, or nominate a kababayan whose journey deserves to be heard.
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