GPHC nurses lauded for improving health system’s resilience

At various activities throughout the country to commemorate International Nurses’ Day, observed on Thursday, nurses at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) were recognised for their role in improving the Public Health System.
The theme for this year’s observance of Nurses Day is: “Nurses: A force for Change: Improving Health Systems’ Resilience”.

Speaking at the GPHC’s observance in its East Street car park, Public Health Minister George Norton said one has only to imagine for a moment a world without nurses to realise how vital their services are.
“Every day, nurses provide leadership, innovation and advocacy to meet the health care needs of our citizens. I can also safely say that they also help in making the lives of our doctors easier, he asserted.
Minister Norton pointed out that in addition to their technical skills, nurses must bring to their dutiful posts, a generous dose of compassion in dealing with patients who are severely ill and in need of not only constant care but also of emotional support and encouragement.
“We have recognised that nurses are an essential part of the healthcare workforce, and as such we want to give our nurses attractive career opportunities and pathways, so that they can fulfil their aspirations. The Ministry of Public Health will continue to advance its training opportunities in the areas of professional nursing and midwifery,” he assured.
Meanwhile, director of nursing services at GPHC Collene Hicks stressed that nurses are a vital force for change that the health system needs. However, she pointed out that in order to improve Health System’s Resilience, nurses must seek every opportunity to improve their own resilience.
“Improving our Health System’s Resilience or improving our health system’s capacity to recover from difficulties, for us to do that we must maintain our health and our wellbeing,” she emphasised.
Hicks highlighted the growing pressure which nurses face, including coping with changes to service delivery and models of care, financial pressures and enhanced expectations.
According to her, nurses have the responsibility to look after themselves and develop strategies that will help them to recover from their own difficulties.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of GPHC Allan Johnson urged the nurses to use the occasion to do some introspection. He applauded those who have been doing well and urged the others to step up.
“We can’t do without you but we need you to do well. It is you who deal with the patients; it is you who report to the doctors,” he emphasised.
Others gathered to celebrate Nurses Day included: Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green; Chairman of GPHC, Dr Max Hanoman and Chief Nursing Officer – Ministry of Public Health, Tarmattie Barker.