Tribune News Network
Doha
HAMAD Medical Corporation (HMC) celebrated the vital role nurses play as members of the healthcare team in recognition of International Nurses Day.
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on May 12, every year. The day was initially recognised by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in celebration of the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth.
Widely considered the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale spent her life promoting the establishment and development of the profession.
"As the largest component of the healthcare workforce, nurses have constant interaction with our patients and their families, and have a tremendous impact on the patient experience. Nurses are key members of the multidisciplinary care teams that serve our patients and their families," said Dr Badriya al Lenjawi, executive director of Nursing, Corporate Nursing and Midwifery Department.
She added that the day provides an opportunity for nurses to promote careers in the profession, adding that nurses play a leading role in the transformation of healthcare in Qatar.
"Today's nurses are highly-skilled leaders with advanced degrees, who are playing an integral role in the transformation of health care in Qatar. It is important that we encourage the country's younger generation, in particular, to seek a career in nursing. The nursing profession represents a great opportunity for Qataris to exhibit noble values and to become respected leaders who will influence the future development of our country," Dr Lenjawi added.
Pauline Cadampog, a staff nurse at Rumailah Hospital's Long Term Care Unit, said being a nurse is about choosing daily to make a difference in the lives of her patients and the people she works with.
"Being a nurse means making a difference in someone's life. For me, it means being the hands of a patient who can't grasp or walking for someone who is wheelchair-bound. At the end of the day, I want to know that I have done a good deed. I am truly blessed to be a nurse," said Cadampog, who joined HMC five years ago.
In acknowledgment of the day, a number of events were held across HMC's network of hospitals, including events organised by the Home Healthcare Services, Heart Hospital and the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR).
An event at Hamad General Hospital saw more than a hundred nurses from the hospital recognised for long-term service with each having served more than 25 years at HMC.
With over 8,500 men and women working as nurses in its hospitals and clinics, nurses form the largest group of staff at HMC.