Tuesday 12 May 2020 marked a special day for nurses across the world – a celebration of their invaluable work, and their important role in keeping the medical world going around.
International Nurses Day falls on the anniversary of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale’s birth, and this year’s commemoration is even more special due to the World Health Organisation’s declaring 2020 as the Year of the Nurses and Midwives, even before COVID-19 transformed our lives.
Despite the physical limitations posed by the current situation, the University of Malta’s Department of Nursing still celebrated the day by sharing a number of encouraging messages from a wide range of dignitaries and medical practitioners.
An interview with four Infection Prevention & Control Unit nurses at Mater Dei made some headlines, as the nurses who are also Visiting Lecturers at the University gave a first-hand account of their experience since COVID-19 became an everyday reality.
A Q&A with Dr Roderick Bugeja, a Lecturer at the Department of Nursing and coordinator of the MSc Nursing Programme, yielded interesting answers, such as how the profession of nursing heightens sense of purpose to life.
Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr Roberta Sammut, said nursing is all about providing person-centred care based on evidence-based knowledge.
State registered nurse & the first Nurse Director in Malta, Ms Nicholina Farrugia, noted that increasing specialisation is important for the advancement of the profession.
Hon. Dr Owen Bonnici, Minister for Education & Employment, Shadow Minister for Health Dr Stephen Spiteri and Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection & Public Cleansing, Hon. Dr Deo Debattista all had messages of encouragement for nurses, who have such a noble vocation, who are empowered by commitment and respect and who are undoubtedly rising to the occasion worldwide.
Students Claire Scicluna and Marianne Agius Attard said nursing is not a profession for the faint-hearted, yet it is one that is so highly rewarding on a professional and a personal level.
Finally, Head of Department Dr Maria Cassar cheered present and future nursing students on, saying “we promise to stay close to you during the prevalent unexpected (online) nature of your journey along your programme of studies!”.