Nursing expert here to give local group a check-up
An international nurse consultant will be evaluating and assisting the development of the Bermuda Nurses' Association (BNA) this week.
Tesfamicael Ghebrehiwet, of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), is visiting the Island to determine how to assist the BNA in moving toward the next millennium.
The ICN has 111 participating countries. Bermuda joined in 1969.
According to Dr. Ghebrehiwet, the ICN's major role was to provide support and guidelines for nursing research, practice and education.
But the relationship between the ICN and the BNA was a matter of sharing experiences to contribute to nursing worldwide.
Dr. Ghebrehiwet spoke to The Royal Gazette about Bermuda's participation in the ICN task force in Geneva in 1995.
The task force attempted to find ways of reducing the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS among the nursing population.
And Dr. Ghebrehiwet said the ICN is looking to find ways of combating the global crisis in health care.
A step toward this can be made by creating a balance between hospital and community-based care, he explained.
He addressed the crisis in care for the elderly in Bermuda, saying that nurses must be properly trained to handle that sector of the community.
"It is unethical to neglect that section of society who have contributed so much during their productive years,'' he added.
Dr. Ghebrehewit also explained that the ICN's evaluation of the BNA is geared toward empowering Bermuda's nurses.
"We are saying that nurses should have a voice in policy and decision-making, since they have a unique perspective of health needs in the hospital and the community,'' he said.
"The extent to which nurses can be effective depends on the amount of support they are provided.'' Dr. Ghebrehewit is scheduled to meet with Health Minister Clarence Terceira on Wednesday.
TOP NURSE -- Dr. Tesfamicael Ghebrehewit (left) is pictured next to Bermuda Nurses' Association president Lovette Lovell. Dr. Ghebrehewit is visiting Bermuda as a representative of the International Council of Nurses this week.
