Some 19 nurses were on Saturday evening honoured for graduating with the Bachelor of Science (BSc) Degree in Nursing from the University of Guyana (UG) when an awards ceremony was held for them at the Guyana Nurses Association (GNA).In congratulating the graduates, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Emmanuel Cummings, noted that nursing education is one of the fastest growing programmes in the University.He added that the Nursing programme was introduced less than five years ago. Today the University also offers a Masters Degree in that discipline.According to him, UG will continue to support the development of the Nursing programme.Dr. Cummings told the new graduates that the University of Guyana’s School of Nursing will need their input and assistance to keep the programme going.He encouraged them to go back to the University to make their contributions either as full-time or as part-time staff.Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, laid out a challenge to the new graduates to consider being part of the management team on a national level and contributing to national development.According to him, the administration has embarked on a massive expansion of the Nursing training programme. Mid last year, he added, some 431 new entrants were inducted into the Nursing programme.“This programme, we were hoping, would provide us with managers for the health sector and managers in the wider sense of the word,” Dr. Ramsaran contended.He stated that a nurse, having passed through this programme, should be able to see herself as the defender of a wider public interest.Dr. Ramsaran challenged the graduates to offer their services in outlying regions, particularly those that attracted significant investments in health, such as Lethem and Mabaruma, where state-of-the-art hospitals have been built.“We were hoping that, as this programme expanded, that you, the graduates, would remain not only in the city and on the coast, but that you would see the possibility of giving service on the periphery…I want to put this challenge to you, as managers of the health sector and future leaders of the country, to look beyond Georgetown and the Coast. Think of ways of making a contribution.”He asked them to recognise that the administration has invested and continues to invest massively in the restructuring of the infrastructure in the health sector.“I am inviting you to reflect on the massive investments that have been made in your sector. This investment in you is a recognition by the taxpayer and the administration that we need your skills.”Dr. Ramsaran said that Guyana is a poorly resourced country but a developing one, and that is why the brain power of leaders is being created.“I regard this as a challenge for you to put your knowledge in the right areas, to put your knowledge into national development; we really need you.”Valedictorian and best graduating student, Zaheeda Hack, who worked at the Central Islamic Organisation in HIV/AIDS awareness programme, promised to transform the health sector through her knowledge.The graduates who passed with distinction are Abiola Boucher, Zaheeda Hack, Latoya James and Onica Padmore; those who passed with credit are Sonita Alexander, Natasha Brutus, Alcena Fanfair, Jennifer Nelson, Ann Prescott and Rhyaan Trotman; and other graduates are Emelda George, Samantha Gullin, Acusah James, Shondell Langevine, Joan Layne, Antonette Noble, Ashanti Orford, Alexis Reid and Angela Wilson.This newspaper understands that, to date, 66 nurses have graduated from the programme.
