NERS NEWS — Surabaya – A team of Nursing Profession Education Program students from the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, conducted a Hospital Health Promotion (PKRS) activity entitled “Cough Etiquette and Mask Use” for patients’ family companions in the IRNA 4A Grha Trimed Ward at Universitas Airlangga Hospital on Thursday, October 1, 2026. This educational activity was organized as a concrete step to improve health literacy regarding airborne infection prevention, particularly tuberculosis (TB), in the hospital environment.
During the educational session, the nursing students delivered the material interactively, followed by live demonstrations. The material covered proper cough etiquette, such as covering the nose and mouth with the inner part of the upper arm or a tissue; the correct way to put on and remove a medical mask without touching its front; and a demonstration of the six steps of handwashing using soap and alcohol-based hand rub. Participants, who were patients’ family companions, appeared enthusiastic as they listened and practiced the infection prevention measures directly.
The activity, which took place at 3:00 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), was initiated by Group 10 of the Medical-Surgical Nursing Rotation, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga. The event was coordinated by Farah Nailul as moderator, with Nafila Putri and Savira Ratna as presenters, supported by the facilitation, observation, and equipment teams. The activity also received direct guidance and evaluation from the academic supervisor of the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Herdina Mariyanti, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kep., PhD, and the clinical supervisor at Universitas Airlangga Hospital, Devi Rahma S, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kep.
This educational session was motivated by Indonesia’s high tuberculosis burden, which ranks second worldwide. TB is transmitted through airborne particles released when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and a single cough can release up to 3,000 droplets of sputum. Hospitals and patient wards are high-risk settings for transmission if patients’ families and visitors do not practice proper cough etiquette and mask use. Therefore, this educational activity aimed to provide practical knowledge so that patients’ family companions could protect themselves and their surroundings from the risk of TB transmission, in line with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The clinical supervisor of the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Devi Rahma S, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kep., stated that practicing cough etiquette and wearing masks are not merely formalities but fundamental habits that are highly effective in breaking the chain of infectious disease transmission in hospitals. “Proper cough etiquette and mask use by patients’ families are vital to maintaining a clean hospital environment and preventing the transmission of TB germs to fellow visitors and healthcare workers,” she explained.
This health education activity supports the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, by contributing to the prevention and control of airborne infectious diseases such as tuberculosis to promote healthy lives and well-being; SDG 4: Quality Education, by providing high-quality, practical health literacy education for patients and the general public in healthcare facilities; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by establishing a strategic partnership between a nursing education institution (the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga) and a hospital (Universitas Airlangga Hospital) in community service and infection prevention programs.
Through this educational activity, patients’ family companions are expected not only to understand the principles of cough etiquette and mask use but also to apply them consistently in their daily lives. Going forward, the active contribution of the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga academic community to public health education is expected to help reduce TB transmission and strengthen a culture of clean and healthy living in Indonesia.
Writer: Riska Amelia Nirina Ilham
