70 nurses coming on board soon

The health authority is looking forward to April next year when it is anticipated that for the first time in seven years there will be a surplus of registered nurses in the service as 70 nurses are expected to graduate then.

As for now while there is no mass exodus of nurses from the service there remains a continued attrition resulting in a shortage that has to be continually assessed and managed, said Chief Nursing Officer Sister Audrey Scott who dispelled any concern that an upcoming marketing and recruitment activity hosted by the nursing school is by any stretch of the imagination a desperate search for nurses to fill gaping holes in the service.{{more}}

Two nurses have resigned effective the end of October and about six weeks ago Sister Scott said that there was a shortage of twenty eight registered nurses in the system but the authority’s main concern was the shortage of specialized nurses.

“The problem is being managed’ said Scott who told SEARCHLIGHT that they are massaging the situation so that the effect would not be so seriously felt in the health service.

Addressing the shortage in specialized nurses, she said that 10 nurses are to soon begin formal training in Operating Theatre nursing. Twenty nurses have just completed midwifery training, another specialty area that was in need of a human resource boost.

Entitled “Showcase 2006” the School of Nursing’s marketing and recruitment programme will be held on the 16th and 17th of October at the school. The aim of the programme besides recruitment is to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the school’s location at its present, Largo Height location and to sensitize the public of the importance of nursing. There will be an opening ceremony at the school from 9 am on Tuesday 17th.