Nurses urged to uphold, restore respect to profession

International Nurses Day will be observed on Sunday and leading up to the day’s celebration, which is also Florence Nightingale’s birth anniversary, a week-long calendar of activities is in place for its observance. Launching the week of celebrations was the Regional Health Department of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Nurses gathered at the launching of the week-long observation for International Nurses Day

Nurses were given the opportunity to embrace this year’s theme of ‘Nursing: The Balance of Mind, Body and Spirit’ with a church service. They were recognised for their ability to balance the work they do while maintaining an exemplary lifestyle.
With the emphasis being placed on upholding and restoring the respect of the noble profession, nurses were urged to wear their uniform with dignity since they work in the most critical division of health-care delivery.
During the event, the nurses were called on to rededicate themselves to their profession.
“There are challenges but I urge you to keep up the good work, the profession requires of you that you must do your best to uphold the profession… Nurses are the backbone of the health-care system… I say to you nurses that you must continue to give of your best to the nursing profession, don’t get weary in well-doing, you will reap if you faint not,” urged Matron of the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, Susette August who has served in the profession for several years.
The Department of Public Information reported that nursing is the vocation in the health-care system that employs the largest number of persons and that there can never be too many nurses, she noted. “Nurses maintain the health and wellness of patients throughout all aspects because nurses not only deal with patients with physical ailments… Patients come to us with social, emotional issues and nurses are trained along this line to assess and to really care for persons with these issues,” she is quoted by DPI as saying.
Sharing similar sentiments at the brief engagement for spiritual upliftment, both Regional Executive Officer, Region Six, Kim Williams-Stephen; and Public Health Ministry’s representative Alex Foster agreed that nurses make a difference in the world and in saving lives.
An appeal was also made for retired nurses to partner with policymakers to influence young nurses in the profession, to re-instil values that made the profession what it is today. The profession, which is no longer dominated by females, has seen males joining over the years which, according to Foster, shows that being a nurse is about being a person with a desire to save lives.
Nurses Week is hosted in Guyana to raise public awareness of the contribution of nurses in all spheres; to saving lives and building the health system, the world over. It is also observed in recognition of Nurse Florence Nightingale who pioneered the idea of modern nursing.