Tema-Ghana, May 24, CDA Consult – No competition between nurses and doctors at health facilities because the two professionals operate as a team and not competitors, Nurses at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) have indicated.
This was stated by Ms. Joseline Adjoa Enchill and Mr. Samuel Adu Ntiamoah, Registered General Nurses at IMaH, during their appearance on the Ghana News Agency-Tema initiative “Your Health, Our Collective Responsibility” on the occasion of International Nurses Day, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.
International Nurses Day is observed on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the mother of nursing, to highlight the significance of the profession.
The international topic for this year is “Our Nurses, Our Future.” The theme chosen by Ghana is “Our Nurses, Our Midwives, Our Future.”
Ms Enchill stated that, although being regarded as the heart of hospitals due to the extensive care obligations they bear, nurses do not compete with doctors because their job complements each other’s.
Ms. Enchill stated that doctors evaluate patients and diagnose ailments, while nurses provide the treatment and interventions suggested by doctors, and that the two professionals collaborate to provide quality care to patients.
She recognised that acrimony or excessive competition between doctors and nurses would end up harming the patient, emphasising that “when there is a misunderstanding between a doctor and a nurse, it is the patient who will suffer.”
She stated that “if the conditions of a patient on admission change, it would be the nurse who would see it as they were with patients all the time,” emphasising the importance of maintaining a healthy and cordial relationship between all hospital professionals.
Mr. Ntiamoah, for his part, stated that nurses were not, as many people believe, helpers to doctors, adding, “it’s a wrong perception; we are not assistants to doctors, we all work as a team.”
He argued that nursing is independent and plays a major and vital function in the hospital context since it encompasses a broad spectrum of life as a whole, including environmental, psychological, spiritual, and emotional care.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency Tema, praised health workers for their contribution in people’s overall well-being, including illness prevention.
He stated that studies have shown that patients who receive compassionate, patient-centered care are more satisfied and willing to cooperate with their medical treatment, resulting in better patient outcomes.
Mr. Ameyibor stated that society and health experts must collaborate to ensure that “we all live a healthy life.” We must support their efforts and ensure that they can provide decent healthcare.
“A disorganised, mentally and emotionally disturbed nurse or doctor cannot care for a patient, no matter how hard he or she tries,” he said.
Mr Ameyibor stressed “As a result, let us all work together to make the working conditions of nurses and doctors more comfortable to ensure they are able to care for us.”
