Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Exceptional efforts of nurses in Oman appreciated

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Muscat: The role of nurses in Oman has come into the forefront as the Oman Nursing Association received acceptance from the International Council of Nurses.


 The Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed al Saeedi, congratulated the Oman Nursing Association on joining the International Council of Nurses, the global voice of nursing.


Established in 2017, the Oman Nursing Association represents all the nurses in Oman.


“I would like to congratulate the Oman Nursing Association and all nurses of Oman for being admitted in the International Council of Nurses.  This is an important organization, which gathers momentum and advocates for nurses worldwide,” said Dr. Al Saeedi.


Being a member of this organization has so many advantages for our nurses in Oman and particularly the members of the Oman Nursing Association.


“This year was declared by WHO to be the Year of Nurses and Midwives, unfortunately, the event has been hijacked by Covid-19 and here I would have to repeat my gratitude and thank all the nurses in Oman and worldwide with their colleagues in the health profession for looking after the patients and dedicating their effort and time to make a difference.”


The minister of health expressed his pride, “We are very proud of our nurses in Oman and we will continue to do everything possible to empower them, facilitate further training and ensure that each person is working in the place that is fit for them.”


The acceptance of ONA by the International Council of Oman has created excitement in the nursing community.


Since its establishment in 2017, ONA has played an important role in empowering nurses and midwives in Oman, said Dr. Jamal al Khaduri, Director General for Nursing, Ministry of Health.  According to him, ONA’s collaboration with ICN is expected to advance the image of the nursing profession and highlight the services rendered to the population of Oman.


“This will put the nursing profession in Oman within the global nursing community serving humanity. We wish to ONA further development and achievement in the future. The Ministry of Health values the nursing services as central in facing and tackling different emerging health challenges while ensuring the continuity of the provision of care to patients, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic. From taking care of patients on ventilators in ICUs to conducting home visits as follow-up care, nurses in Oman have proven to be in-line with international standards of care provision at all levels,” he noted.


He added that the era of the Renaissance and the administrative and technical support of the Ministry of Health made it possible to transform the profession from a small group in the early years of the Renaissance to nearly 20,000 nurses nationwide. The health sector has also grown in parallel with the government’s direction to provide health care services at all levels to all citizens and residents of the Sultanate.


“In view of the current global pandemic situation, I salute all nurses and midwives on the front line who are risking their health and their family caring for COVID-19 patients. Nurses and midwives in Oman have worked hand-in-hand to cope with the situation of COVID-19 and are taking the initiative to nurse, lead, and plan. As nurses at SQUH and Oman, we are very proud to be part of the International Council of Nurses family to support Omani nurses across the country. Also, the pride extended to the Oman Nursing Association that takes this initiative to raise the profile of nursing in Oman,” said Shinoona Al Harthy, Deputy Director-General of Nursing Affairs at the Nursing Directorate, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.


According to Shinoona, nurses are a critical part of healthcare and make up the largest section of the health professions. This year is labeled as the year for nurses and midwives by WHO; to appreciate them as being always in the frontline and to appreciate their dedication.


“Nurses, existing and emerging talent, need support while building a workforce that is capable and flexible enough to meet Oman's changing healthcare needs with innovation and creativity and a voice to be heard. Opportunities for young Omani leaders within healthcare organizations will become strong due to the advance knowledge and practices and the eagerness to learn,” she pointed out.


“Moving towards specialized nursing and advanced care has added power to nurses for excellent evidence-based practices and advanced care. Nurses will always face challenges and it is good to know advocacy for the frontline health care workers will always be the focus with the support of such an international organization,” she said.


The International Diabetes Federation also had this year's theme dedicated to nurses. Nurses currently account for over half of the global health workforce.


Dr. Noor al Busaidy, Director of Diabetes and Endocrine Center and chairperson of Oman Diabetes Association said nurses are the backbone of chronic diseases clinic because they provide education and so in diabetes clinic nurses explain to the patients about the disease, the management and the follow-up.


“They provide the social and psychological support to the patient and they see the patient frequently and use technology to follow up with the patients from whats app or email.  So really without the nurses help the management of the patient in the chronic diseases is not optimal as there would be a big gap because doctors cannot do what nurses do,” she explained.


In their statement on World Diabetes Day, the International Diabetes Federation stated: “They do outstanding work to support people living with a wide range of health concerns. People who either live with diabetes or are at risk of developing the condition need their support too.”


According to the International Diabetes Federation, people living with diabetes face a number of challenges, and education is vital to equip nurses with the skills to support them.  As the number of people with diabetes continues to rise across the world, the role of nurses and other health professional support staff becomes increasingly important in managing the impact of the condition.



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