Shannon Nell, director of nursing and nursing education at Netcare, speaks of the invaluable role that nurses play in the health and well-being of communities, forming the mainstay of every nation’s healthcare system. Nell said, “Nurses impact the lives of people when they are most vulnerable, not only through clinical care, but also through the compassion they demonstrate when it is most needed”.
Nurses being the largest profession in the health workforce, are well positioned to deliver on this year’s global theme which is Nurses: a force for change.
Nurses use their expertise to drive improvements in efficiency and quality of care to attain optimal patient outcomes. The expertise that every nurse applies in their work daily can make an important difference, which is why they are a pivotal force for change,” asserts Nell.
Quality improvement skills are necessary to identify gaps between current care and best practice and to design, implement, test and evaluate changes. Netcare has adopted a range of evidence-based international best practices as part of our efforts to enhance patient clinical outcomes on an ongoing basis.
“Nurses are playing a key role in the implementation of these practices which have been proven to benefit patients. They are at the centre of patient care and therefore are essential drivers of quality improvement,” notes Nell.
This was evident in the 2014 Netcare Quality Leadership Awards, where nursing teams were responsible for 62 of the 166 entries. Lecturers and administration teams at Netcare Education submitted 18 entries, while nursing staff members also participated in various initiatives as part of multidisciplinary teams.
“Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient care, not only in the hospital environment, but also with community-based care and the care rendered by family members. It is because of this dynamic approach that we are appreciative and proud that our nurses are taking the lead in exploring ways in which they can improve patient care to bring about even better clinical outcomes and an improved patient experience,” states Nell.
Nell concludes, “We at Netcare acknowledge the incredible work done by our nurses and the immense responsibilities they assume in caring for patients. We salute our nurses for the passion, compassion, dignity and respect with which they care for our patients and for their invaluable contribution to South African society as a whole.”
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