Nurses Take The Spotlight
21 May 2021
Nurses around the island were honoured and celebrated for their dedication and commitment to their profession.
The Saint Lucia Nurses Association recently held a church service and awards ceremony at the Temple of Faith Pentecostal Church placing focus on how critical nurses are especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.
President of the St. Lucia Nurses Association Alicia Baptiste thanked the nurses for their efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. She said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world; the way we live, socialize, work, interact with each other and the way we deliver nursing care. It has raised the visibility of nurses like never before and underlying that nurses are indispensable to health care and the backbone of every health service. Nurses are on the front line of this pandemic separated from their loved ones and praised as heroes but nurses are humans. They are not angels or super heroes. They have the same needs and rights as everyone else.”
Nurse Baptiste also made a call to support the courage of the nurses under very challenging situations, saying: “Over the past year, nurses had some of the most critical roles and responsibilities during the pandemic. They will continue to be at the front line of healthcare in communities, primary healthcare and the acute guest sector. Nurses have been leaders in ensuring that all patients receive patient-centered and high quality care while performing in their roles and responsibilities, nurses has sacrificed much including their physical, mental and emotional health and even their very lives.”
Pastor of the Temple of Faith Pentecostal Church Pastor John Joseph saluted all the nurses and recognized the invaluable work they continue to do. Pastor Joseph added:
“There are things I like about nurses; their immense pride in what they do, their work. They love what they do. The parallel between nursing and pastoring only begins here. One common role is to give care or self-care for others.”
International Nurses Week is celebrated under the theme, “Nurses: A voice to lead. A vision to future healthcare.”