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Nursing fraternity calls on Govt. to address critical issues
…as 310 graduate
The nursing fraternity is calling on the government to meaningfully address a number of critical issues which the Georgetown Nursing School currently has to deal with.
A section of the nurses who graduated yesterday.
Delivering the School’s Report at a graduation ceremony held yesterday at the National Cultural Centre was Principal Cleopatra Barkoye who raised several matters which the institution and the nursing fraternity at large wish to see fixed as soon as possible.
She said that presently the library at the institution is unsuitable to adequately serve the needs of the students and tutors of the school. The midwifery nurses are affected from making their 25 deliveries quota since they have to compete with the medical students who also have their quota to make.
In addition, Barkoye said that the evening students are forced to pay additional costs to use the services of the learning lab. She explained that the safety of nurses at night is also a matter of concern.
The capacity of the school is stymied by the lack of maintenance of computers which are consequently left in disrepair. Further, the institution continues to suffer from disruption in water supply and an unreliable internet supply for tutors and students. Barkoye said that this tremendously affects research, which needs to be done.
Barkoye appealed to the Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, who was in attendance, that “it is imperative to get it right from the beginning.”
The Principal made a few recommendations to improve the functioning of the institution. These include rigid interviewing of persons interested in attending the school so as to reduce the attrition rate.
She also called on the Ministry to work on providing a healthy environment for students and teachers, and to increase the cadre of full-time tutors. Currently the full-time teaching staff stands at 16.
Barkoye also called on government to recognize the contributions made by the tutors to the country’s human resources and in so doing, to grant duty free concessions for the academic staff. “Like teachers, we are also eligible for duty concessions, we are patriots, why not help us to feel proud of our achievements?”
According to the Principal, she does not expect these changes overnight, but she called on something to be done to help both the staff and students.
This year the school made history as it recorded its highest number of graduates – 187 nurses graduated as Registered Nurses, 48 as Midwives and 75 as Nursing Assistants. In addition, a total of 21 awards were distributed.
Director of Health Wilton Benn during his remarks told the students that they are on a long journey and their numbers is a reflection of progress.
“Nurses do make that difference whether someone is alive or dead,” said Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton in his address. Norton urged the students to work hard at building a stronger health care system through meaningful collaboration.
He encouraged them to speak with their supervisors, sisters of the ward, and to relay with their matron and chief nurses which they will come into contact with. The Minister informed that nurses are expected to care more about patients than self and as a result, blessings given to patients will be returned ten-fold.
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