International Nurses Day Statement: Montserrat"s Minister Of Health Hon. Charles T. Kirnon

Author

Hon Charles T Kirnon, Minister of Health on Montserrat

Release Date

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

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Throughout this month, we are celebrating all Ministry of Health and Social Services staff, recognizing them, thanking them, for the vital part they play in contributing to Montserrat.

Today is International Nurses Day. This is also declared by the WHO the year of the Nurse and Midwives, in recognition of the contribution nurses make and the risk associated with nursing shortages.

This week, between Tuesday to Thursday, we will first celebrate all nurses, geriatric aides and community health aides. On Friday we will celebrate Doctors and the remainder of the month we’ll recognize all the other staff groups - housekeeping staff, Drivers, Orderlies and Maintenance, Social Workers, pharmacists, radiographers and medical technologists; The Dental Team; Mental Health Team; Environmental Health Team; Dietary Team; the Medical Records and Administration team.

As we celebrate our nurses this week, I wish to kick off with my own acknowledgment to them now.

Our Nurses are critical as we progress improving hospital quality and the new hospital development. Because nurses are of the utmost importance when it comes to hospital quality, everything they do affects the outcome of care that patients receive, from bedside and medication management to assistance with surgeries. They also fill management roles at the hospital, as well as train and oversee other nurses and staff. More often than not, it is a nurse that will educate patients and family members regarding continued post hospital care.

Nursing is a vocation, that plays an important role in Montserrat’s society. Our nurses do their best every day and every night to provide quality and safe care with the medical limitations Montserrat has. It should come as no surprise that hospitals around the world, including here in Montserrat at the Glendon, rely heavily on nursing staff. There are numerous ways in which nurses are indispensable and truly the backbone of the Glendon hospital.

Nurses make up the largest number of Hospital Employees - comprising the largest single component of Ministry of Health’s staff and are the primary providers of care in the hospital and community clinics, and deliver most of the care prescribed by the doctors.

Not only are nurses vital to patient care, they are also members of the administration and management team, ensuring the smooth and safe running of the hospital and clinics. The Director of Nursing is essentially in joint command of the hospital and nursing compliment.

Additionally, our nurses are crucial as we care for growing number of patients in this aging population, 20% of the population comprises of people 65years and older. That means more older patients will need more nurses.

In these current times of global pandemic, we see first-hand that nurses are the core soldiers on the frontline of testing, treating and managing for COVID-19 all the while being placed at increased risk of contracting the disease.

Nurses are not just important to the hospital, they are important for Montserrat. And so I want to thank all the nurses, and those retired nurses, that serve as inspiring examples of selfless leaders in the community.

In closing, I wish to say, many blessings to all the nurses. Your work transcends beyond the patient. Because you also provide comfort to the families of the sick and the helpless. Surely only someone of enormous heart can follow a career of nursing. For that reason, to these magnificent professionals, I say, thank you, for your work and services to Montserrat.

Remember the work you do when taking care of others, is a sign of your great kindness. Congratulations to all nurses worldwide, but especially to the nurses of Montserrat.
God Bless you all and God bless Montserrat.

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