Nurses training institutions urged to be innovative

Kumasi, May 5, GNA - Major Courage Quashigah (rtd.), Minister of Health, has entreated nurses training institutions in the country to inject innovative ideas into the training of nurses to re-position them as caring and Godly individuals.

He said in view of the fact that education involved the total development of a person's physical, mental, spiritual and emotional attitude there was the need for these institutions to be dynamic to facilitate effective health care delivery.

Major Quashigah made the call at the launch of the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Nurses Training College (NTC) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi on Thursday.

He called on nurses to emulate the worthy example of Florence Nightingale, who was a pioneer in the nursing profession, saying, "even though she did not have any formal education in nursing she was prepared to put her life on the line to save dying souls".

"She had no acronyms by her name and none of the modern equipment we boast of today, but she was moved like the 'Good Samaritan' and drew on passionate love and tender care as her main equipment to saving dying souls", the Minister said.

To this end, Major Quashigah charged nurses not to discard the fine qualities of their profession but be passionate towards the job. Mrs Gladys Fabyan, Principal of the College, noted that in spite of the constraints and demoralising conditions most of them were going through, it was gratifying that most nurses were taking up further courses to broaden their knowledge and competence.

As part of the celebration, an endowment fund for the acquisition of a 56-seat bus for the College was launched to which Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of KATH made a donation of 10 million cedis on behalf of the Hospital.