“I remember I was taken to hospital as a little kid, and I met this very beautiful nurse. I loved the way she attended to me. I told myself there and then that I would like to study nursing” – Nurse Rukky.
It’s stories like these that inspire us. We truly believe that nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. They spend so much of their time communicating with patients, understanding their needs, and taking care of them.
Nurses are expected to be:
- Empathetic
- Compassionate
- Competent
International Nurses Day
Every year on the 12th of May, the world celebrates International Nurses Day. This date was chosen because it marks the birth of Florence Nightingale. She is regarded as the founder of modern nursing.
Nightingale is known as “The Lady with the Lamp” because she would go out in the dark into the battlefields. During these trips, she would travel with a lamp in her hand to search for the wounded and injured.
Nightingale believed that well-educated women, using scientific principles and informed education about healthy lifestyles, could dramatically improve the care of sick patients.
The Role of Nurses in Modern Healthcare
Nurses play an essential role in society today. Did you know that nurses provide the majority of healthcare globally but are often under-appreciated?
Here are Five Reasons Why Nurses are so Crucial to our Healthcare System:
- Their strength – Nurses work with different patients ranging from newborn children to people facing death. Their job requires a lot of strength.
- Education and support – They are responsible for ensuring that patients understand their health and the necessary treatment for any illness.
- Advocate for patients – Every nurse needs to act as an advocate for patients. They spend more time with patients than a doctor. They understand their symptoms and progress.
- Promote community education – Nurses also promote wellness strategies by participating in community campaigns focused on educating the importance of preventative care.
Nurses are the true heroes of healthcare.
We saw the tremendous suffering that our nurses went through during the pandemic. They dealt with extreme workloads, exposure to the virus, and low pay. Despite this, our nurses helped slow down the spread of Covid in Nigeria and contributed to our recovery.
In accordance with International Nurses Day, we wish to honour all of the Nurses in Nigeria and in the world.
