Director of Institutional Nursing Service in St. Kitts, Sonia Daly-Finley, said that the body meets twice annually to discuss issues relating to nursing and midwifery. She said that health ministers within the CARICOM community are updated and advised on what takes place during the meetings.
“The RBN has been an important regional force in advancing education, practice, research and policy agenda relative to Nursing,” said Mrs. Daly-Finley. “Its overall aim is to provide a sufficient quantity of appropriately prepared nursing personnel to meet the healthcare needs of the Caribbean community, standardize nursing practice and education and guarantee reciprocity.”
She noted that recently there has been deliberations on some key issues that the body intends to address. These include the CXC managed exam for nurse registration, the need for a common strategic framework for nursing and midwifery, and a standardized clinical assessment tool.
Minister of State with responsibility for Health, the Honourable Wendy Phipps, stated that the (RNB) serves the CARICOM as an expert voice to which CARICOM Heads, as well as the leadership of various Ministries of Health in the Member States, would turn to when it comes to setting and evaluating policy.
She commended the body for its dedicated work in nursing care throughout the region and wished it every success over the next three days of deliberations.
“We wish you every success as you deliberate these issues. It is our hope that the frankness and the poignant point from which you would have started this meeting in terms of putting the issues on the table that, that tone and mindset will be consistent throughout the course of the three days because I think that is what is needed,” said Minister Phipps.
She said that Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), which have become a widespread crisis in the region over the past 50 years, has transcended a health problem and is now a socio-economic issue.
“Every person in this room as far as I am concerned is here because you care about what is happening with nursing and you also care about what is happening to our people of the region and the issues that they confront,” Minister Phipps said.
