Public perceptions of nursing often focus on hospital wards, lengthy shifts, and time spent at patients’ bedside. Each nurse has a story that transcends these fleeting impressions, filled with dreams, sacrifices, and achievements. It has been over three decades in the nursing profession for Filipino nurse and educator Jose Ariel Lanada, and to him, nursing is and will always be a calling. His story of passion and determination has taken him from a small town in Iloilo, Philippines, to the UK, where he has assumed leadership responsibilities in the health and education industries. Ariel is not only a nurse and educator; he is also a catalyst for changes he wishes to see in the world.
From Dreaming of Teaching to Embracing Nursing
As a child growing up in Duenas, Iloilo, Ariel dreamed of becoming a teacher. He loved the idea of sharing knowledge and guiding others to reach their full potential. After graduating as his class valedictorian, he earned a scholarship from the Philippine government. But the scholarship was for nursing, not teaching. At first, this felt like a compromise, but Ariel quickly discovered that nursing was much more than a profession. Nursing, he realized, is deeply rooted in caring for those who cannot care for themselves. It is both a science and a ministry of healing. This realization changed his life. Instead of giving up his dream of teaching, he chose to combine the two. “Knowledge is meaningless unless it is translated into better patient outcomes and enriched staff experiences,” he says. For Ariel, nursing became not just about caring for patients but also about teaching, guiding, and inspiring others in the field.
Education: A Pathway to Empowerment
Education has always been at the center of Ariel’s journey. He started acquiring his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Central Philippine University. His thirst for knowledge and his belief in the power of education motivated him to go even further. In the United Kingdom, he earned a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Oxford Brookes University, one of the country’s leading educational institutions. Ariel achieved one more milestone in 2024, when he completed his Doctor of Education at Oxford Brookes University. His doctoral research involved a comparative analysis of the clinical learning experiences of graduating nursing students in the Philippines and the United Kingdom, reflecting his lifelong commitment to enhancing student learning across diverse cultures. Education, to Ariel, is not merely the acquisition of degrees; it is the desire to positively and trans formatively impact the lives of patients, students, and nurses.
A Cross-Border Career
Ariel has had diverse professional experiences over the more than 32 years he has worked-ten years in the Philippines and the remaining twenty-three years in the UK. In the Philippines, he worked at Iloilo Mission Hospital, where he became and served as the Chief Nurse and Acting Director of Nursing. But he had to adapt and work as an adaptation nurse in the UK in 2002.
Ariel describes this as a humbling experience, as he had to put aside all his previous titles to start and integrate into a new work system. Ariel draws on the philosophy of starting at the bottom and working one’s way up to reach the top. This is his way of coping with the emotionally challenging experience of starting a new job in a different country. Ariel worked in the Adult ICUs, expanding his critical care expertise and advancing his nursing skills. He later took on a position as Nursing Lead of the Adult Diabetes Service at Oxford University Hospitals and subsequently the Divisional Lead for Practice Development and Education, a position he still holds today. In this role, he is responsible for the professional development of over 3,000 staff and ensures that learning and training are ongoing and adaptable. He also works to support overseas nurses as they adjust to the UK.
Meeting the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic
For Ariel, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point in his professional life. As the training lead for his organization, he was tasked with conducting first responder training on the safe use of PPE. In a matter of weeks, he and his team trained a multitude of thousands, including nurses, physicians, healthcare workers, porters, and even house staff. These experiences were, for the most part, satisfying. However, for the staff he trained, giving ‘thank you’ statements such as, “Thank you for teaching me how to protect myself,” and “Thank you, Ariel, for saving my life” was a deeply emotional and satisfying moment for Ariel. This was, to Ariel, the very essence of nursing, combining knowledge with compassion. But there were personal struggles that the pandemic brought on. One of these struggles was that Ariel himself contracted COVID-19 and the mental trauma that came with it, as he feared for his life and for his family. This near-death experience brought on a profound appreciation for life. After the pandemic ,he increased his efforts by flying across the UK every other week to support internationally educated nurses in achieving their goal of joining the NHS, offering interview workshops and career coaching.
Challenges of Moving Abroad
Moving to the UK was difficult for Ariel for several reasons. He had to leave his family and the comforts of his home country. Even though he was a leader in the Philippines, the UK did not fully recognize his qualifications. He had to resubmit his postgraduate degrees and navigate culturally challenging situations regarding language, accents, and expressions. His barriers were mitigated by his values of willingness, tenacity, and resilience. He asked for help, embraced persistence in studying and practicing, and learned from his mistakes without giving up. These values are the principles of the mentorship he now provides to other nurses. Advocacy and Community Leadership: Ariel’s journey is not only about personal achievement. He has devoted a considerable part of his life to helping others. He has established the Filipino Community of Oxfordshire, where, for the last twenty-two years, he has served as Chairman, building a haven for newcomers. Throughout the pandemic, he was elected President of the Filipino Nurses Association UK, where he expanded the organization’s services in pastoral care and professional development. He is now also the National Chair of the Alliance of Internationally Educated Nurses and Midwives Diasporas in the UK. These roles illustrate his understanding that nursing extends beyond the walls of a hospital. It involves the development of social advocacy networks, the construction of community frameworks, championing social justice, and ensuring that every nurse is heard and every nurse has a support system. Among his most esteemed titles, he notably served as the only Filipino Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, presenting for His Majesty the King during royal engagements.
Research, Writing, and Global Recognition
Not only is Ariel a practitioner, but he is also a researcher and author. He has written on the experiences of internationally educated nurses working within the NHS, as well as the experiences of BAME staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has received numerous citations for his work on standardization of the Clinical Practice Educator role, and his contributions are considered essential to nursing education. His influence has also reached international and renowned venues. He has spoken to World Health Organization member states in Geneva, co-presented at the International Congress of Nursing Education in Prague, and given a keynote speech to over 300 Deans of Nursing in the Philippines. In June 2025, he presented his doctoral research at the International Council of Nurses Conference in Helsinki, further establishing his global prominence in the field of nursing.
The Mentor and Teacher
Perhaps Ariel´s most significant impact is his mentorship. He has helped many nurses, both Filipino and otherwise, navigate their careers and foster professional development. Several of these nurses have advanced to positions of leadership and advocacy, and many more have furthered their education. For Ariel, mentorship is more than knowledge transfer; it is about instilling a belief and helping others to see their worth. Currently, he is working on a book about Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), which international educated nurses must complete to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK. He aspires to help more nurses with successful careers and help them with their examinations.
Filipino Identity and Pride
For Ariel, all his accomplishments stem from his Filipino roots. Filipino nurses are recognized for their warmth and compassion. He attributes his success to a strong, family-centered upbringing, which provided him with a sense of adaptability. In leadership and in teaching, he conceptualizes every interaction and every relationship as a family relationship, governed by love, respect, and acceptance.
Words of Wisdom
To students and aspiring professionals, Ariel has offered generations with the counsel of,
Follow your dreams. Live for yourself, not for others’ expectations. Write your own story.
Be proactive. Take charge of your life and your career.
Keep a positive attitude. A negative mindset is a flat tire-you won’t get anywhere until you fix it.
Then, adapt. One bad dream opens the door for another.
Network. Go further with the cooperation and support of others, as well as with your own resources.
More than all this, he inspires young people. “Do not review the past with rage, and do not anticipate the future with fear. Accept the now with thankfulness and resolve. Trust yourself; you are capable of more than you believe, and more than you think. Yes, you can!”
Consider the life of Jose Ariel Lanada. In part, it is the story of a man. More, for those thousands of nurses he has mentored, taught, and inspired. And mostly, for the compassion, the education, and the resilient strength it has taken to transform life, not just its own. From many, including in Iloilo and Oxford, he has served and taught, inspiring and leading. For a student who wonders whether they can, Ariel’s journey speaks, with bold clarity, of success not defined by where you start, but by how you rise and adapt, and how much you can lift others with you.
For more information about our advocacy, visit our websites at www.fnuk.org.uk and www.filcomoxford.org.uk
