Members of HMC’s nursing service celebrate International Nursing Day.
DOHA: The Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) marked the International Nurses Day yesterday, with a call on citizens to join the challenging profession. International Nurses Day was established in 1965 and marks the birth of Florence Nightingale; the famous English nurse who is considered a pioneer of modern nursing.
In recent years celebrations for Gulf Nursing Day have given way to International Nurses Day, but this year nurses enrolled in the ‘Leadership for Change’ programme decided the occasion was an opportune time to celebrate the diversity of HMC’s nursing service, HMC said yesterday.
Currently over 8,500 men and women, representing over 50 different nationalities, work as nurses at HMC hospitals and clinics and as part of its homecare service. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Badriya Al Lenjawi, who leads the professional development of HMC’s nursing workforce, said Qatari nurses must play a pivotal role in uplifting the nursing profession and in encouraging both Qataris and expatriates to pursue a career in the field.
“As Qatari nurses and members of the Leadership for Change program we must take responsibility for paving the way for Qatar’s future nurses, both Qataris and expats,” said Al Lenjawi.
“Promoting nursing as a challenging, respected and rewarding field is an ideal way to uplift the profession and celebrate the diversity of our nursing service here at HMC,” she added.
The ‘Leadership for Change’ program is a collaboration between the Supreme Council of Health, the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office. The program was created to develop the leadership and administrative skills of nurses in Qatar.
“In close collaboration with our academic partners we are developing the next generation of expert nurses because we understand that both growth in the healthcare sector and high quality nursing care must be driven by nurses,” said HMC’s Executive Director of Nursing, Dr Ann Marie Cannaby.
Students from University of Calgary-Qatar’s nursing programs also joined the celebration.
HMC has worked closely with University of Calgary-Qatar to deliver accredited Diploma and Bachelor Degree courses in nursing and to date over 35 graduates have joined HMC in full-time nursing roles.
The Peninsula
