By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK Despite a difficult working environment and staff constraints, Namibian nurses are urged to recommit themselves to the noble profession of nursing by placing the needs of their patients first. Namibia, together with the rest of the world, celebrated International Nursing Day last Friday, a day that is marked globally each May. The yearly event was held under the theme: “Positive Practice Environments: Quality Workplace – Quality Patient Care.” There is a growing challenge for the nursing personnel, and Namibia is no exception. The country faces a global nursing workforce crisis – one marked by the critical shortage of nurses. Officially addressing registered and student nurses at the University of Namibia (Unam), Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Petrina Haingura said the health sector was experiencing a shortage of nurses countrywide. Although there are many reasons for the shortage, Haingura noted that a key element has to do with the current health work environments that weaken performance or alienate nurses to the extent that they leave the profession altogether. “Among the many reasons for this nurses crisis – like long working hours, heavy workloads, inadequate salaries and poor working environments – job satisfaction is rather about how nurses feel about their jobs”, said Haingura. She added that, despite these problems, nurses should keep the integrity of their nursing profession high by focusing on work ethics and placing the health needs of the patient first, just like the pioneer of nursing, Florence Nightingale. Nightingale was not only described as a dedicated health worker, but her work was also considerably effective in improving the conditions of local hospitals. International Nurses Day is celebrated worldwide in remembrance of what the founder of the nursing profession left them – a legacy and an example of service to humanity. Speaking at the same occasion, the Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Dr Lischen Haoses-Gorases, said quality health-care is of paramount importance during this time when public health needs are high. “So recommit yourselves. Our number one priority is the patient. Let us do our best for the patients because nursing involves caring for human beings. The ethical values and code of conduct are directives of our pledge,” explained Dr Haoses-Gorases. She called on nurses to instil the value of excellence in their work for the sake of caring and building a healthy nation. Nurses have been – and still are – making up the backbone of health services today. Yet, due to an unhealthy working environment which ultimately affects the morale of the nursing staff, there is a need to move towards what Dr Haoses-Gorases calls “positive practice environment.” “We as nurses in this country have a responsibility to lobby and negotiate for safety and positive working environments to take action now, because delivery of safe and high-quality care depends on both competent health workers and work environment that supports excellence in performance,” she added. Some nurses to whom New Era spoke agreed on the importance of their profession. “Nurses must now stand together and unite by rendering quality health-care at all times. I know the money or salaries we get are not that good but, despite this, we are here for the nation,” said Letha Itembu, Chairperson of the Marketing Committee of the Faculty of Medical Health Services. Another nursing staff member said the day was a good time for nurses to reflect on their profession and back about the good old days when nursing was a highly-regarded profession. “It’s time for us to think back and at the same time nurture in the young student nurses that they need to stick to the ethical values of the profession. There are just not enough nurses. If you are stressed, how can you give your patients 100 percent attention? You work long hours, and one nurse attends to a ward of over 55 patients at a time,” according to Mariah Tibinyane, UNAM Lecturer in the Medical Faculty.