Two lecturers and one student from the Faculty of Nursing at Hasanuddin University participated in the 11th Asia Pacific Enterostomal Therapy Nurses Association (APETNA) Conference 2025, held from July 4–6, 2025, at the Setia SPICE Convention Center, Penang, Malaysia. This prestigious conference was attended by more than 800 participants from 16 countries and served as a strategic platform for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and cutting-edge research findings among practitioners, academics, and professionals, particularly in the fields of wound, ostomy, and continence care.
The delegation from the Faculty of Nursing at Hasanuddin University consisted of Saldy Yusuf, Ph.D., Head of the Master of Nursing Program; Dr. Takdir Tahir, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kes., Vice Dean for Partnership, Research, and Innovation; and Muhammad Az Zikra, a student in the Nursing Program. All three were also appointed as speakers in the oral presentation session.
Saldy Yusuf presented two topics: “Development of a Mobile Application for Early Detection of Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) Risk: “Diabetes Foot Check-Up” and “Perceptions of Indonesian Wound Care Nurses on the Structural and Functional Design of Diabetic Sandals.”
Dr. Takdir Tahir presented research results entitled “The Effect of Aloe Vera, Zinc Cream, and Alginate-Based Breast Cancer Wound Treatments on Changes in MMP-9 and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) Levels as Predictors of Wound Healing.” Meanwhile, Muhammad Az Zikra presented the results of his study, “Revolutionizing Wound Care: A Comparative Analysis of Wagner Scale Assessments by Nurses and ChatGPT.”
In an interview, Nurse Saldy Yusuf expressed her hope that the APETNA Conference would continue to be an inclusive and progressive learning platform for healthcare professionals in the Asia Pacific region, including Indonesia. He stated, “APETNA is an important platform for nurses to update their knowledge and practice in wound, stoma, and continence care. Hopefully, at the 12th APETNA Conference in Hong Kong in 2027, more Indonesian nurses will attend and participate as delegates.”
This participation demonstrates the Unhas Faculty of Nursing’s commitment to developing globally-based knowledge and strengthening international academic networks in the field of nursing.
