Bhutan joined the global community in marking the International Nurses’ day, remembering their contributions in health system across the country. On this day, 192 years ago, “the lady with the Lamp”, Florence Nightingale who pioneered the modern nursing, was born.
As the World celebrated the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the day here in the capital was marked at the Royal Institute of Health Sciences, a place where most of home grown Nightingales graduate. They have come a long way and this day, the Heath Minister Zangley Dukpa said will continue to remember their efforts and sacrifices.
“This day is to recognise and appreciate the services that our nurses provide. If you look at the literature and my own experiences in the last four years, in the Health Ministry, I am convinced that nurses are the foundation of development of health systems, it is important to acknowledge them,” said the Lyonpo.
The theme this year is “closing the gap: from evidence to action”, which primarily focuses on how to deliver and understand evidence based practices in nursing and health care.
According to a Staff Nurse at the JDWNRH, Thinley Choden, Bhutan is popular for its primary health care activities. “It means reaching out to patients who cannot come to hospital and in rural setting our health care workers such as HAs, Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives provide home based care, go personally to a patient’s home,” she said.
She added research based actions are picking up in the nursing and being practiced now, where in few instances are proving to be successful.
Presently there are over 600 nurses and more than 400 health assistants and midwives sprawled across the country.
