The world celebrated International Nurses Day last Thursday, May 12, to recognise and appreciate all of the fantastic and hardworking nurses that help save lives around the globe.
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on the same day each year, on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, who was regarded as the founder of modern nursing.
Staff at the Cootamundra Hospital came together on International Nurses Day for a lunch to celebrate the day. “Cootamundra Hospital celebrated International Nurses and Midwives Day with a staff luncheon which was enjoyed by all staff in recognition for the whole team here at Cootamundra.
To have a hospital we need each individual team to provide their support, and here at Cootamundra everyone is part of the great team,” Jocelyn Piper, Facility Manager at Cootamundra Hospital said.
“Our hospital is becoming the place to work, with a new Clinical Educator starting last month and two new graduates commencing work this week, we have also been successful in recruiting other nurses to long standing vacant positions. “We have plans in the pipeline to grow our own nurses to have them experienced in more expert fields like Maternity and Theatre. These new staff add to our previous compliment of staff and have contributed to the theatre schedule being re-instated at Cootamundra. “Staff have been able to take the time to and will now continue to receive training in many areas, including emergency care and treatment, general patient assessments as well as being able to attend to mandatory training here on site.”
Their hard work goes above and beyond what is needed to help a small, country town community like Cootamundra, and for that we thank them greatly.
Nurses around the globe have struggled for the last two years during the unprecedented situation regarding COVID-19, and have stepped up to the plate, delivering even under the toughest of circumstances.
The nursing and health industry was tipped on its head at the beginning of the pandemic, with staffing teams needing to reassess and follow strict protocols to keep everyone safe.
This meant extended hours due to staff shortages, causing stress and exhaustion for those in the industry, whilst also needing to learn about the COVID- 19 pandemic on the run, with no prior knowledge from university or medical schools on the subject.
Nurses in the MLHD and NSWNWA (Nurses and Midwives’ Association) have taken strike and time off the job twice this year to fight for pay increases and better staff to patient ratios, which they rightly deserve. The Times thank all nurses and midwives who have had it tough during the last couple of years in keeping our community safe and healthy.
Tim Warren