In 1961, I graduated from the
University of Alexandria in Egypt and became a nurse. I never stopped being
proud that I chose this profession. The month of May is a reminder to celebrate
nurses and the discipline of nursing. Before I share my thoughts about what we
are celebrating, and while we are beginning to see some rays of hope in some
parts of the world about the containment of the Covid-19 global pandemic, we
must pause to remember the millions affected, as well as the millions we lost.
I hope each one of us reflects
on what you have and what you gleaned from living through and coping with Covid-19
during this prolonged period of the pandemic and in its aftermath. And, also
reflect on what and why you are celebrating.
Here is what I believe we are celebrating today.
We
celebrate today the many scientists from many parts of
the world who collaborated in developing the vaccines that give us hope that we
may reopen borders, schools and businesses.
We celebrate today
the evidence nurse scientists developed, allowing ICU nurses to better manage
lung functions for patients by proning them and the evidence based palliative
models of care that helped patients die with dignity.
We celebrate
today the WHO’s publication of the first world report about nursing, which
provides robust global data and recommendations that should be used as a
blueprint for the nursing workforce for years to come.
We celebrate
today that 2020 and 2021 were designated the years of the nurse and midwife by the
WHO, ICN and many other organizations. That is also a first in global nursing.
We celebrate
today that the world now knows what we always knew, that nurses are the heart
and soul of health care systems. The severe shortage of nurses globally and the
closure of ICU beds that were much needed for Covid-19 victims was due to the
fact that were not enough nurses or that there were not enough educated or
qualified nurses to care for patients. This is reminding ministries and
universities to increase the numbers of well-prepared advanced practice nurses.
We already see the outcomes through increasing applications and admissions to
schools of nursing.
We celebrate
today you, wherever you are, frontline nurses for your dedication, commitment
and professionalism in using evidence-based science to manage pain,
ventilation, difficulties in daily life activities, discomfort, loneliness and the
emotional support needs of patients infected with Covid-19.
We celebrate today
frontline nurses everywhere for their compassion in caring for families who
could not be with loved ones, and for their vital role in supporting their
patients’ admission, discharge and end of life transitions. We celebrate them
knowing that, in spite of their passion and nursing education, they too suffered
from anxiety and faced many risks to their wellbeing and their families’ wellbeing.
But, they demonstrated grit, resilience and creativity in a time of
uncertainty.
We celebrate
today nursing educators for how quickly they pivoted to using new innovative
strategies, some they had to invent. They ensured their nursing students continued
to receive quality education and to graduate, learning essential theoretical
and clinical knowledge that prepared them to provide safe, quality care.
We celebrate
today nurse scientists for continuing their programs of research with human
subjects in spite of many restrictions and many precautions. They created new
strategies and goals to insure science productivity continued because of their
strong belief in the importance of advancing the needed evidence that translated
into impactful, quality care.
We celebrate
today hospital administrators who reorganized with warp speed to accommodate,
heal and care for an unknown virus for which there were no known treatments. We
celebrate their staff for creatively developing new protocols and routines.
We celebrate today health care teams that put the care of patients above mediocre paternalistic
and hierarchal teams. We celebrate the new global emphasis on interprofessional
education and interdisciplinary, equitable teams that place more emphasis on addressing
the needs of patients and their care and less emphasis on the needs of team
members.
We celebrate
today organizational leaders who realized health care policies must be informed
by nurses’ wisdom, knowledge, expertise and voices. We celebrate them for their
inclusiveness of nurse leaders in all decision-making bodies.
We celebrate
today nurses’ strong advocacy voices for better policies to create and
safeguard equitable working environments for nurses.
We celebrate
today nurses who use theory to guide their practice, who are able to articulate
the paradigms that drive their assessment of patients and the framing of the
interventions they give.
We celebrate today nurses who are mothers and
fathers whose professional commitment and moral compass drove them to continue
to care for Covid-19 patients in spite of the limited resources and treatments,
and fear of infections for themselves and their families. This commitment has
been at the expense of their psychological and physical wellbeing.
Lots
that cause us to celebrate - but, celebrations are only a short stop for
reflection. We nurses and midwives must continue in the long journey toward
insuring access to quality care for the most vulnerable populations and insuring
a healthy and equitable environment in health care for providers and recipients
of care.
I am so
proud to be a nurse.
Based on speeches given in Pakistan, Switzerland and Portugal.
