When 2020 was declared ‘The International Year of The Nurse and Midwife’, I was amazed and honored by this annual World Health Organization theme being a nurse myself. It was the first of its kind, a year dedicated to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. Nightingale was the pioneer of modern nursing and the celebration is to recognize the contributions of nurses and midwives in the society as well as emphasize the need for more investments on nurses. In order to actualize the 2030 goal of Universal Health Coverage and to reduce the risk associated with nursing shortages, more investments are required.
Ms Nightingale was born on 12th of May, 1820 which has become a day marked as the international nurses’ day. She came into limelight when she served during the Crimean War as a nurse leader, cared for the wounded soldiers and implemented new ideas on infection control practices that reduced death rates from 42% to 2%. She was the first woman to be given an Order of Merit Award in 1907 by Britain. She started nursing school where she trained nurses, passing on her remarkably renowned knowledge which has generated tremendous impact in the health care industry today. It could not be timelier that this year was chosen by WHO to celebrate Nightingale’s descendants as the commemoration was marked with deadly COVID-19 pandemic which has further underscored the importance of nurses in the society.
Nursing indeed is a great profession which has undeniable effect and contribution in health sector of any nation and nurses are the heartbeat of the health care industry. They lead the way to a healthier future for all, reaching the farthest communities. They play critical roles in health promotion, illness prevention, and restoration of health and delivery of care in all settings. On 31st December, 2019, Nursing Now Executive Director, Dr. Barbara Stilwell said “Nurses are ready for this moment- 2020 is the chance to show what nurses can do to improve health for everybody, everywhere”. This statement is like a prophecy being fulfilled as Nurses with great fear of exposure in their hearts, leave the confines of their homes daily and march forward as valiant soldiers to various hospitals, nursing homes and clinics, unbeknownst to what would befall them the next minute. They fight on despite the increasing number of their infected and fallen colleagues. Majority of them are women, wives, parents, pregnant, and nursing mothers, all bread winners in their families. They risk their own lives, sacrifice family times and are the most exposed in the wake of any outbreak. They are the first responders at every point of care in the health care settings.
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It is now very glaring that Nursing duties cannot be performed virtually online or while maintaining social distancing. Nurses are the only health care personnel that stay with patients for long hours in each shift attending to their never ending needs. They work hard notwithstanding the unfavorable work conditions, inadequate PPEs and remunerations. Nurses are resilient, dogged, enigmatic and empathetic. They put their patients’ needs first, working sometimes with empty stomach and full bladders in order to ensure that their patients are stabilized. For example, when a patient is rushed to my department, even at odd hours, it doesn’t matter how hungry, sick, tired, sleepy and exhausted I am, I focus on my patient’s care until he or she is out of critical condition or is transferred to another department. Also, a friend of mine and professional colleague in the United States working on the COVID- 19 floor has not seen her family in weeks and had missed two of her daughters’ birthday celebrations. Recently, she lost her colleague on the same floor to COVID-19. She is still nursing Covid-19 patients irrespective of what she had missed or lost. This is just one account out of many millions of nurses all over the world.
Many Nations are investing on nurses, celebrating and protecting them by providing all the necessary supplies and gadgets needed especially Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs). Nurses can only fight effectively when they are wearing the right PPE or they will be lost in the fight which will further put pressure on the health sector. Nurses are celebrated everywhere in different Countries and world leaders hold them in high esteem. Annette Kennedy, the President of International Council of Nurses (ICN) said “In this year of the Nurses and Midwives, the eyes of the world are on our profession in a way we could not have anticipated. Nurses are on the spotlight and all around the planet; this tragic pandemic is revealing the irreplaceable work of nursing for all to see”.
Nurses and Midwives are the bravest COVID-19 frontline soldiers. They are irreplaceable and indomitable, the world life savers and vitally necessary for the achievement of Universal Health Coverage by 2030. We are NURSES- A voice to lead, nursing the world to health.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY GREAT PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES.
Dedicated to all nurses in the world.
*** Obi Lois Amarachukwu writes viatasielois360@gmail.com
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