Nurses A Voice To Lead

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“Nurses have given their all in the fight against COVID-19, Ebola, in disaster areas and in war zones. Yet, they continue to face under-staffing, lack of protection, heavy workloads, and low wages. It is time now to take real action to address workplace safety, protect nurses and safeguard their physical and mental health.”- Dr Pamela Cipriano, President of the International Council of Nurses. Those of us who have been hospitalized for whatever reason will know how critical nurses are to the healthcare system. In a country such as Jamaica where there is a nursing shortage the worth and value of our nurses is incalculable. There can be no praises too great for our nurses. International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated globally on May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. International Nurses Day is observed to mark the monumental contributions nurses make to the society. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that nurses and midwives are central to Primary Health Care and are often the first and sometimes the only health professional that people see. The quality of their initial assessment, care and treatment is vital healthcare. Nurses are also part of their local community sharing its culture, strengths and vulnerabilities and can shape and deliver effective interventions to meet the needs of patients, families and communities. According to the WHO approximately 27 million men and women make up the global nursing and midwifery workforce. This accounts for nearly 50% of the global health workforce. There is a global shortage of health workers, in particular nurses and midwives, who represent more than 50% of the current shortage in health workers. The largest needs-based shortages of nurses and midwives are in South East Asia and Africa. WHO estimates that the world will need an additional 9 million nurses and midwives by the year 2030. Achieving health for all will depend on there being sufficient numbers of well-trained and educated, regulated and well supported nurses and midwives, who receive pay and recognition commensurate with the services and quality of care that they provide. Women form 70% of the global health workforce, but only 25% of leadership roles. Nurses need to become more active and vocal in policy development and implementation regarding their profession. Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Italy to Frances Nightingale and William Shore Nightingale. She was the younger of two children. Nightingale’s affluent British family belonged to elite social circles. Her mother, Frances, hailed from a family of merchants and took pride in socializing with people of prominent social standing. Florence Nightingale known as “The Lady with the Lamp,” was a British nurse, social reformer and statistician best known as the founder of modern nursing. Florence Nightingale was a revolutionary figure in nursing. During the Crimean War, more soldiers were dying from infections than from battle injuries. Nightingale and a team of nurses greatly improved the unsanitary conditions at a British hospital, working night and day to reduce the death count by two thirds. Queen Victoria rewarded Nightingale’s work by presenting her with an engraved brooch and a $250,000 prize. Florence decided to invest the money in building the St. Thomas’ Hospital and within it, the Nightingale Training School for Nurses. As Nightingale ascended the ranks, she became a popular role-model for many young women, inspiring them to take on nursing. In August 1910, Florence Nightingale fell ill but seemed to recover and was reportedly in good spirits. A week later, on the evening of Friday, August 12, 1910, she developed an array of troubling symptoms. She died unexpectedly at 2 p.m. the following day, Saturday, August 13, 1910, at her home in London. Theme for International Nurses Day The theme for IND is Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in nursing and respect rights to secure global health. International Nurses Day focuses on the need to invest in nursing and respect the rights of nurses in order to build resilient, high quality health systems to meet the needs of individuals and communities now and into the future. The WHO State of the World's Nursing Report 2020 provides some interesting information regarding nursing density per population. What is clear from this report is the fact that richer countries have a more favourable nursing density percentage than countries with fewer resources. The United States of America has 145.5 nurses per 10,000. Canada has 99.4 per 10,000. Haiti has 3.8 per 10,000. Barbados has 30.6 per 10,000. Niger has 2.3 per 10,000. The United Kingdom has 77.1 per 10,000. Afghanistan has 1.8 nurses per 10,000 of its population. The nursing density in Jamaica stands at 8.1 per 10,000 population. Unfortunately, Jamaica's percentage density will worsen as our nurses continue to seek greener pastures elsewhere due to low remuneration and poor working conditions. Nursing is a very challenging profession. Undoubtedly, nurses should be paid a livage wage in order to adequately take care of themself and their families. A friend of mine who is a registered nurse told me that a pair of nursing shoes can easily cost at least $15,000 for durable brands such as Hush Puppies, Timberland, Nursing Mate and 24Hours. Let us be mindful that a nurse will require at least 2 pairs of working shoes. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the sacrifices nurses made and continue to make in keeping us safe. Our nurses remain unflinching and provide dedicated service to the society and to humanity. On this day we celebrate the bravery and commitment of all nurses on International Nurses Day. We salute our nurses and express our gratitude to all nurses on this International Nurses Day. Happy International Nurses Day! In the words of Florence Nightingale, let us never consider ourselves finished nurses….we must be learning all of our lives. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #IND2022 #InternationalNursesDay #FlorenceNightingale

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