Roberts: ‘It is not the end of the road’

This country’s nursing fraternity reached a new plateau last Thursday, when 64 Registered Nurses graduated as part of the Government’s response to poverty alleviation and nurse migration.

Held under the theme “Increased knowledge, skills and attitudes for professional excellence”, the graduation ceremony took place at the Faith Temple Church at New Montrose. Twenty midwives and seven Community Health Aides also graduated.{{more}}

In response to the migration problem, a vision by Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne to develop a centre of excellence for the training of nurses to meet the demands of this country and also to share with the international community, was put in place. St Vincent and the Grenadines experienced a shortage of nurses a few years ago and Cuban nurses were recruited for two years.

Receiving the award for most outstanding Registered Nurse and delivering the Valedictory speech, Desiree Roberts said that the three years and a half of her life at the institution were successful but did not come without a struggle. She said the numerous hours spent in the classroom, doing research and working under pressure definitely equipped her for the task that lies ahead of her. Roberts said that the atmosphere at the school was harsh at times but it was still amicable.

Roberts expressed encouraging words to her colleagues who did not make it through the programme that it does not end there. She assured them that it was not the end of the road, and that many other opportunities lie ahead and they must reach for them.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves who was on hand to deliver remarks, said that he is not going to make the nursing profession an exclusively middle class profession where a person has to have money in order to attend the nursing school. The Prime Minister said that St Vincent and the Grenadines is the only country in Caricom that pays their nursing students a salary to attend school. Dr Gonsalves noted that the nurses from this country are in high demand in the region and worldwide, where there is a shortage of trained nurses. The Prime Minister urged the graduates to use their training well and strive for the best.

The feature address came from Pastor Samuel Joyles who told the students that they are now facing the real world. Joyles said that some of the students perhaps thought that the teachers were harsh towards them, but assured them that they were only preparing them for the world of work. He urged them maintain their integrity and put what they have learnt into practice.(KW)