Nurses make up the largest number of health workers, says Minister for Health and Medical Services, Rosy Akbar.

Ms Akbar said nurses made up 62 per cent of the overall health workforce.

She said nurses played a pivotal role in our health service delivery system.

She made these remarks during the launch of six nursing strategic plans and policies at the Fiji National University Tiri Restaurant in Nasese, Suva yesterday.

The six key documents launched were the Nursing Strategic Plan 2017-2021, the Fiji Nursing Council Strategic Plan 2017-2021, the Fiji College of Nursing Strategic Plan 2017-2021 and the three Scopes of Practice for Registered Nurses, Registered Midwives and Registered Nurse Practitioners.

Ms Akbar said nursing was an important workforce and the importance of their role in delivering the best of health care could not be over-emphasised.

“Nursing education development has also shown some pertinent milestone,” she said.

“The periodic upgrade of undergraduate qualification and the creation of new training programmes from the two main nursing education institutions of the Fiji National University and the Then India Sanmarga Ikya (TISI) Sangam College of Nursing to improve the knowledge and skills of our nurses are noteworthy.

“I’m also aware that the University of Fiji is not very far off in the development of nursing programmes.

“The development of these six key nursing documents is indicative of nursing’s commitment to improving the quality of its service and the over-arching delivery of holistic healthcare by the ministry to our health seeking population,” Ms Akbar said.

She encouraged the nursing fraternity to ensure that these Strategic Plans remain living documents that would continue to provide the foundation and the direction for all levels of nursing and the two nursing institutions of the Fiji Nursing Council and the Fiji College of Nursing.

“I’m positive that the plans will become more meaningful when it’s translated into actions where targets are met and improved outcomes are observed,” Ms Akbar said.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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