Oshana regional health director Johanna Haimene says the actions of a few healthcare workers are damaging the reputation of nurses across the country.
Speaking during International Nurses Day commemorations on Tuesday at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital, Haimene referred to a recently circulated video clip showing alleged mistreatment of a patient at a health facility. She described the incident as very disturbing and embarrassing for the profession.
“Let us see and spot those grey areas, those weaknesses, those attitudes, those behaviours, those unbecoming behaviours. Those ones which are painting a very bad picture to our profession. Let’s identify them and let’s find good solutions so that we can deal with them,” Haimene said.
She called on nurses to improve patient care, professionalism and attitudes towards patients.
“These are people who are already sick, they are physically sick, they are sometimes mentally sick, they are emotionally sick, and then we add other sicknesses. We are making their sicknesses worse,” said Haimene.
She said professionalism and ethical conduct are essential in healthcare, urging nurses to uphold integrity, accountability and respect for human life, while promoting teamwork, discipline and ethical standards at health facilities.
“Professionalism and ethical conduct remain fundamental pillars of nursing practice. Nurses are expected to uphold integrity, confidentiality, accountability and respect for human life at all times. The manner in which nurses conduct themselves, communicate with patients, and work with colleagues greatly influence the quality of healthcare services delivered to our communities. Let us therefore continue to strengthen professional behaviour, teamwork, discipline and ethical standards within our health facilities,” she said.
Haimene stressed the need for experienced nurses to mentor young professionals entering the healthcare system.
“We should try by all means to mentor, we should try to be advisors, we should try to be trainers, we should try to teach this young generation,” she said.
International Nurses Day is commemorated annually to recognise the contribution of nurses to healthcare and patient care and this year’s commemoration was celebrated under the theme ‘Our nurses, our future: Empowered nurses save lives.’
