Enhancing Healthcare Communication and Service Delivery: The Role of Mental Practice and Neurolinguistic Programming in Remote Indigenous Communities of Indonesia

This study investigates the impact of a combined mental practice and neurolinguistic programming (NLP) intervention on enhancing the capacity of pediatric and maternity nurses in remote regions of Southwest Papua, Indonesia. Improving healthcare quality in underserved areas is crucial, particularly for indigenous communities facing limited access to resources. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with 70 indigenous Papuan nurses, implementing a one-month intervention comprising techniques such as goal-setting, visualization, emotional anchoring, reframing, and positive self-talk. Pre- and post-intervention assessments evaluated nurses' adaptability, health promotion efforts, service delivery flexibility, technology use, and collaboration with the community. Statistical analysis using t-tests revealed significant improvements across all measured domains (p < 0.05), with adaptation scores increasing from 3.2 to 4.5, health promotion from 3.0 to 4.4, service delivery from 3.1 to 4.6, technology use from 2.9 to 4.3, and community collaboration from 3.3 to 4.7. These findings demonstrate that the integration of mental practice and NLP effectively enhances healthcare professionals' competencies in resource-limited settings. The results suggest that such an approach can be a promising strategy for optimizing healthcare delivery in remote areas, particularly where cultural adaptability and community engagement are essential. Future research should consider evaluating the intervention's scalability and its potential benefits in different healthcare contexts to further substantiate its effectiveness and applicability.