The Nurses Association of Belize today held an education conference called Caribbean nurses collaborating for excellence in global health. Participants looked at everything from the CARICOM single market and economy to health reform. President of the Association Isabel Bennett says the conference is in keeping with a mandate for nurses to get further education and for them to come together as a single body to fraternize.
Isabel Bennett, President Nursing Assoc.
"We are having the nurses education conference today and the reason why is because the nursing association of Belize has a mandate to provide opportunities for continuing education for nurses in Belize."
Alfonso Noble,
What subjects are you all covering and what's the reception like?
Isabel Bennett,
"It's been a very interesting day so far, simply because of the discussion, heated discussion, on CSME and its implication for Belize. It continues to be one that is at the forefront because we are in that time frame where policies and legislation are being implemented to support nursing. Another topic that came very high is the nurses and midwives act. It is in its present draft right now and nurses countrywide are giving input into the draft because it will guide our profession for the next years to come.
It's a reunion because we haven't seen each other for quite a while because we haven't done a general meeting. Today will be the first after the session. And another reason that it is good for nurses to attend because the nurses and midwives act actually mandates us to be here, to obtain sixty hours of continuing education in order for us to renew our license. And a another thing is that when nurses and informed from the sources, from our presenters, and based on researched etc, there is a attitude change in nurses and the end product of that change is improved personal development and most importantly quality care that the patients receive at their hands.
One of the highlights was happening just now in the conference. Miss Maype Smith is here with us and she is about to treat two of our retired nurses, Sister Lillian August and our ex-matron Julia Castillo. They are about to do their eyebrows and they have two of our male nurses to escort them down after they've learnt the beauty tips."
