Nurses comprise the largest body of healthcare professionals at the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) and their commitment, dedication and hard work will be celebrated in a series of week-long events organised by the Bermuda Nursing Association and BHB.

During the opening ceremony of Nurses' Week at City Hall yesterday, the chief executive officer of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, Joan Dillas-Wright encouraged Bermudians to thank nurses for their hard work, dedication to their profession and enormous contribution to healthcare in Bermuda.

The week will also draw attention to the varied opportunities in this challenging and rewarding field.

"The future of nursing is only going to continue to grow, so it's important that we educate the public about the exciting opportunities that exist," she said.

The handful of nurses who attended yesterday's ceremony from King Edward VII Memorial and St. Brendan's Hospital loudly applauded the Shadow Minister of Community, Cultural Affairs and Seniors Louise Jackson's statement that nurses in Bermuda should be paid more money for what they do.

"A study on the nursing shortage by Linda Aitken of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing found an estimated 20,000 people die each year because they have checked into a hospital with overworked nurses. We cannot overwork our nurses and we must advance their economic and general welfare," she said.

Mrs. Jackson said the youth in Bermuda also needed to be encouraged to see nursing as a viable, rewarding, challenging and dedicated profession.

"Our youth need to see this as a helping profession that gives back to their country and is self satisfying as a career," she said.

With approximately 1,600 employees, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is Bermuda's second largest employer on the Island.

Nurses at the two hospitals work in a wide variety of areas including administration, asthma care, diabetes, educational services, hyperbaric and wound management, infection control, intensive care, information systems, maternity, mental health, oncology, paediatrics, quality and risk, rehabilitation services and substance abuse.

The two hospitals are the only healthcare organisations in Bermuda accredited by the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation ? an independent organisation whose role is to help hospitals examine and improve the quality of care and service they provide to their clients.

In addition to providing an extensive list of services for the community, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is part of a referral network that includes some of the world's leading specialist hospitals.

In celebration of Nurses' Week chapel and church services, an amazing race tailored to nurses, games' night, retired nurses' tea, family fun day and a luncheon to name the Nurse of the Year will take place.

President of the Bermuda Nurses' Association, Lisa Symonds, said yesterday that nurses played a key role in the community, whether it's in a hospital, community, or corporate setting.

The BHB is actively recruiting nurses and every year they invest $250,000 in Bermudian students pursuing education and training in healthcare fields.

Bermudians who wish to train to become a nurse may now complete their first two years of education at the Bermuda College and then transfer to Hampton University.

Mrs. Dillas-Wright said interested applicants can obtain more information online at www.bermudahospitals.bm