Having concluded a training course on Emergency Paediatric Nursing, 19 nurses of the Paediatric Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) are now in a position to administer improved paediatric care.
The two-month training course, noted to be the second of its kind at the medical institution, came through collaborative efforts of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the GPHC.
The programme was delivered under the instructional guidance of JICA’s Senior Volunteer and retired staff nurse, Yoshida Sumiko, who brings to Guyana over 30 years of experience in the medical field. Sumiko had conducted a similar nursing education exercise a year ago based on “Introduction to Paediatric Nursing.”
It was noted that this year’s training programme was designed to equip the health care providers with the knowledge and skills required for coping with paediatric emergency situations with emphasis on areas such as team dynamics, advanced airway management, infant and child resuscitation and cardiac rhythm recognition.
Supervisor of GPHC’s Paediatric Unit, Denise Marks, said that prior to the training sessions, the nurses only had ‘ideas’; however they are now better equipped to recognize emergencies and are able to attend to patients needs in a more efficient manner. She said that emergency management, especially of patients who need “lifesaving” care, has greatly improved.
“This training has improved their skills as well as their ability to observe, recognize and act quickly,” she said.
According to Marks, it was due to the proficient training sessions, that the nurses in the Paediatric Ward were able to save the lives of at least four babies recently. This was done through immediate recognition of emergency cases and prompt responses.
Director of Nursing Services, Matron Audrey Corry, noted that thanks to the training received, the nurses in the Unit are showing more dedication to their work. She said that the positive attitude of Sumiko has “rubbed off” on them.
It was noted that the nurses are now “more confident in approaching emergency situations.” Commendations were also given to the participants for their attendance, as some even came out on “off duty days” to partake in the critical training sessions.
“I’m sure that the information, knowledge and skills will take us a far way in delivering paediatric services to our population. This is what we are going after – quality care for our patients, quality care for our infants and children, and this is what we are getting our nurses equipped to do,” Corry said.
While commending the nurses and encouraging that they “keep doing well”, Chief Executive Officer of the health institution, Michael Khan, beseeched that they place primary importance on their methods of communication with patients and their relatives, so as to maintain an amicable relationship at all times.
“With education, the quality of work and the quality of care will improve,” he advocated.
Following the simple ceremony the nurses who were present received certification for attending the training course in its entirety.
The training ended on Thursday last.
