As Sierra Leone Observed International Nurses Day

Chief Nursing Officer reveals process to recruit Volunteer Nurses into the Civil Service

Freetown, May 12, 015 (MOHS) – Sierra Leone has joined other countries in the world to commemorate International Nurses Day with the theme: Nurses: “A Force for Change:- Care effective and Cost effective”.

Addressing newsmen, the Chief Nursing Officer, Matron Hossinatu Kanu lauded the nurses who volunteered working in Holding and Treatment centres and other health facilities during the Ebola outbreak and the height of the epidemic.

Matron Kanu noted the sacrifices made by the nurses at the emergency preparedness stage when they had no knowledge about the disease and at the height when the Ebola was ravaging the lives of committed and dedicated nurses while trying to save lives. Those set of nurses, the Chief Nursing Officer said have been identified and would be rewarded by recruiting them into the Civil Service. The plan she told the press is currently in progress. She paid tribute to the over 300 medical professionals who lost their lives including the 152 nurses in the event of trying to execute care, love and compassion for those infected with the Ebola virus disease.

Commenting on this year’s theme, the Chief Nursing Officer underscored the importance of the ethics and code of practice of the nursing profession.

She remembered the Founder of the nursing profession, Florence Nightingale and her dreams to seeing the nursing profession as a viable institution with honour, respect and dignity. Florence Nightingale, according to the Chief Nursing Officer was born in 1820 and passed away in 1910. As a woman of substance, She demonstrated love, compassion, and displayed professionalism working with the Red Cross Society helping to rescue war wounded victims including soldiers.

Florence Nightingale was fondly called “Lady with the Lamp” because of her commitment to ensuring nurses and patients in hospitals are cared for even in the dark.

She worked as Chief Nursing Officer from 1854 to 1856. Her memory still lingers in the minds of the Sierra Leone Nurses Association, the Nurses and Midwives Board of Sierra Leone and nurses organizations around the world.

JAK/MOHS

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