The Department of Nursing of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, organised a seminar on International Nurses Day, to celebrate the essential work undertaken by nurses everywhere. The seminar was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic, H.E. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, who was welcomed by Pro-Rector Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino and by the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof. Angela Xuereb. Her Excellency Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca who highlighted the importance of activism amongst nurses.
The event, held on 12 May, was well attended and the participants who included nurses from a variety of sectors actively engaged with the panel led by Ms Amy Camilleri Zahra. The debate centred around the leadership role of nurses at an individual, professional and interdisciplinary level.
Dr Roberta Sammut, Head of the Department of Nursing, said that the main message which emerged from the event was that each and every nurse can make a difference within the context in which he or she works, whether this is in education, acute care, primary care, rehabilitation, or long-term care. To this end, nurses must take the bold step of getting involved.
The document ‘A voice to lead’ of the International Council of Nurses stated that ‘leadership is a process not a position’ and irrespective of their position all nurses can assume a leadership role to promote both quality patient care and the advancement of the profession. To this end, nurses must find the self-confidence, motivation and commitment to contribute to important health care issues and decisions at both a national and international level.
The first step is for the nursing profession to become aware and to make others aware of the contribution already being made. The second step would be for nurses to identify ways in which they can be more involved in each level of decision making, from the patient point of care to the policy table. The third step is for all to remember that the most important element of the multidisciplinary team is the patient and not any one professional group.
Dr Catherine Sharples's presentation on the history of nursing leadership in Malta, highlighted how far the profession has already come. The time is now ripe for nurses to empower the younger generations of nurses to embolden their voice so that nurses may be the voice to lead.