Public Health Nurses’ Week will be celebrated from Saturday, July 1, to Saturday, July 8, 2023, under the theme “Stronger Together”.
The week will focus on the role and development of public health nursing and its contributions to the improvement of health services in Barbados.
The profession is a broad discipline that covers a wide range of functions. A significant aspect of the duty of public health nurses relates to their ability to respond to a full spectrum of constituencies that make up a community; all with diverse health needs. Any of these needs may take centre stage at a specific point in time or stage of life.
Nurses in public health work with other members of the health care team in a specified geographic area of the community. Their responsibility is to promote health and to assist in comprehensively addressing the needs of the population.
From planning for routine immunisations to responding to threats and disaster, the nurse has a role in identifying those clients who are vulnerable and providing essential links to the social services that may be needed.
This year, the highlight of the activities will be a church service at Mile-and-a Quarter Seventh-Day Adventist Church, St. Peter, on Saturday, July 1. Additionally, there will be open days at the Winston Scott and Branford Taitt polyclinics, from July 3 to 7.
Members of the public will be invited to view displays highlighting the history and achievements of public health nursing over the years.