Health facilities have been challenged to go beyond the rhetoric of celebration and institute structures and systems that empower nurses.
Speaking during a ceremony held at The Nairobi Hospital to mark the end of International Nurses Week, Daystar University Dean of Nursing Dr Susan Njuguna said the nurses' support systems include adequate staffing, access to emotional support, and effective mechanisms for service delivery.
Njuguna, who was the keynote speaker during the ceremony, acknowledged that general systemic issues, such as health financing and infrastructure shortages impact nursing care.
The ceremony held at the hospital's Amphitheatre brought together nurses, healthcare professionals, and leadership to pay tribute to the pivotal role nurses play in Kenya's health sector.
Njuguna called for the preservation of the dignity and well-being of the nurses, proclaiming that how nurses are treated dictates the impact on patient outcomes and efficiency of the healthcare system.
"By creating a context in which nurses can flourish professionally and personally with dignity, the result is optimising patient care and optimising the effectiveness and durability of health systems and economies," Dr Njuguna said.
She advocated for policies and workplace practices that facilitate nurses' physical, mental, and emotional well-being, including mental health initiatives, stress management assistance, and physical safeguarding measures.
"Each one of the nurses who work here is an individual, typically with personal problems as well as professional ones," she said.
On his part, the Nairobi Hospital CEO Felix Osano reinforced the hospital’s commitment to tangible support for nurses.
Osano said that since January, 32 nurses have been sponsored to attend National Nursing Conferences.
He further noted that 56 nurses have been certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), while four nurses will be sponsored to attend the International Nurses Council Conference in Finland in June.
Further, Osano unveiled intentions to sponsor higher diploma studies in various specialisations of nursing from August 2025.
"The hospital is committed to not only appreciating nurses by word of mouth but also by showing it through tangible action and opportunity," Osano said.
One of the highlights of the celebration was Mercy Mkubwa’s recognition, Nurse Educator and Researcher at The Nairobi Hospital, with a prestigious UK scholarship by the Florence Nightingale Foundation.
She is one of the first two Kenyan nurses selected for the competitive global programme.
"It is the smallest thing we do that matters," Mkubwa said during the ceremony.
The Nairobi Hospital reaffirmed its dedication to fostering nursing excellence and empowering its nursing workforce through professional development, policy advocacy, and wellness activities.
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