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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Nurses discuss new ways to improve profession |12 May 2009

Nurses discuss new ways to improve profession

Ms Henderson addressing delegates at the opening of the conference

The half-day forum yesterday at the International Conference Centre was organised by the Nurses Association of the Republic of Seychelles (Nars), the Ministry of Health and Social Development and community stakeholders.

The aim was to discuss, promote and support innovative ideas in the nursing profession and to take stock of lessons learnt from past successes and shortcomings.
In spite of remarkable progress in primary healthcare in the country, the burden of diseases on nurses is now heavier, delegates heard.

Addressing her colleagues, Nars president Marie-Antoinette Hoareau called on the 40 nurses who had been invited to take part in the conference to voice their concerns and debate the challenges they are facing in their workplaces so as to find innovative solutions to address them.

“Innovation is not a new concept in the nursing profession,” she said.
“It is well known that nurses and midwives form the backbone of the health and care delivery system in the country. Their roles are varied and they are frontline workers who have to deal with most of the health problems.”

Mrs Hoareau said with its economic reform programme, Seychelles has to carry out the most cost-effective healthcare services while maintaining fairness and efficiency.

This means nurses have to be more creative and find new ways to address workplace changes so as to sustain a standard of nursing service that meets the needs of the population and continues to bring recognition for the profession.

Before launching the conference, chief nursing officer Bella Henderson said this year the International Council of Nurses has chosen to celebrate the role of nursing in healthcare innovation through the chosen theme: Delivering quality, serving communities: nurses leading care innovation.

She said this provides an excellent opportunity for nurses in Seychelles to look at innovations and how they have contributed to better patient care.

She said in today’s globalised world, the need to develop new approaches to managing the people we care for and work with has never been greater.

She called on her fellow nurses to look again at the way they view their work, to let go of areas they have traditionally defended and to open up to more flexible and professionally challenging ways of meeting the needs of patients and clients.

Among the presentations at the conference was one by the regional coordinator for the International Council of Nurses, Francis Suparayen, who focused on positive nursing practices and the working environment, challenges to the profession, and the welfare of nurses and patients.

Among the issues the nurses tackled in group sessions were the rising cost of healthcare, the shortage of nurses and other health workers, epidemic and pandemic diseases.

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