The government is committed to improving healthcare facilities in order to provide the necessary tools for nurses, Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville told attendees of The Nurses Association of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Freeport Branch, Annual Leadership Conference on Friday.
The event was held at Pelican Bay Resort under the theme “Nursing A Force for Change: Improving Health Systems Resilience.”
Minister Darville, using Andrea Walker-Leidy’s definition of leadership said, “It is the ability to see a problem and be the solution.” He continued by saying “In essence, leadership is about service. As nurses, each and every single one of you is a leader in your own right. You are the first contact with a patient and their relatives and in any cases, in time of emergency. While medicine is there to cure illness, it is your patience, love, understanding and ability to empathize, which play a tremendous role in the recovery process.”
He reassured the Nurses that the Government appreciates their invaluable contribution to the lives of the Bahamian people and for that reason they are working diligently to improve the quality of the public health facilities and to provide them with the essential tools and equipment.
Minister Darville then gave an outline of the major improvements by saying, “We have begun and will continue the $11M renovations to the Rand Memorial Hospital and [have] allocated funds to purchase new, more advanced medical equipment for the hospital. We will continue to engage international consultants and local partners to construct the new multimillion-dollar Freeport Community Clinic, which is phase one of the new hospital care for residents in the northern district.” Additionally, he said, multimillion-dollar agreements have been signed that will better service the 1,550 nurses at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre and Grand Bahama Health Service.
He encouraged the Nurses to remain on the cutting edge and take in as much as they can in these sessions, so when they return to their wards they can utilize what was learnt in order to provide an even better system of quality and competent care to patients.
NURSES’ LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE OPENED – The Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama, officially opened the Nurses Association of Grand Bahama Leadership Conference on Friday, May 27, 2016 at Pelican Bay Resort, telling the attendees that the Government remains steadfast and resolute in its commitment to provide quality and accessible healthcare for all Bahamians. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)
