by Devonne Cornelius
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN) — President of the St. Kitts Nurses Association, Ms. Jamella Francis is encouraging her fellow nurses to always display a high level of professionalism in carrying out their duties.
Francis was the guest on WINN’s popular “Voices” talk show on Wednesday, May 12 when she made that clarion call.
“I must say that I will not make any excuse[s] for some of the nurses because some nurses, their behavior is out of line and straight up, the nurses need to come better than that. We must lead with professionalism at all times no matter what.
The patients expect care and compassion. They are scared, and they don’t know what’s happening, so they will panic but you as the nurse must maintain that calm and to comfort the patient,” Francis continued.
Nurse Francis also used the opportunity to encourage people to care for nurses.
“Our purpose is to ensure that when you care for the caregiver, we can then care for you because I would say to the public that you cannot go to a place where you are expected to care and you are not being cared for. And so first and foremost, the nurse in and of themselves needs to be cared for.”
In recognition of this year’s International Nurses Day, the theme chosen is “A Voice To Lead — A Voice For Future Healthcare”.
An educational symposium was held on May 11, a luncheon and delivery of more than 300 care packages to nurses and people within the communities across St. Kitts on May 12 were some of the activities the St. Kitts Nurses Association carried out.
On Saturday, May 15, a health walk will begin at 5:00 a.m. at the roundabout at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport and will end at the Frigate Bay Lawn where breakfast will be served.
International Nurses Day is a day observed every year on May 12 to honour nurses. The International Council of Nurses celebrated the day for the first time in 1965. In 1974, May 12 was chosen to celebrate the day as it is the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
