BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 13, 2023 (SKNIS) – Nurses in leadership positions in St. Kitts and Nevis are presently participating in a two-day Nurse Leaders Workshop that is intended to enhance their leadership and managerial skills.
Taking place at the CUNA Conference Center from Monday 13th to Tuesday 14th, March, the training is expected to provide the participants with the necessary information that will improve their understanding of management, proper communication, and business knowledge needed to effectively and efficiently lead a unit and/or ward.
Addressing the participants during an opening ceremony, Principal Nursing Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Rondalyn Dennis-Bradshaw said she is of the view that this training course will lead to an improvement in the operations of the various institutions around the Federation, and as such commended the nurse leaders for taking part.
“As nurse leaders, you are tasked with providing quality care, reducing cost while improving patient experiences—a challenge that requires strong leaders at the helm of the healthcare institutions. Therefore, it is my sincere hope that you have chosen to be here on your own accord based on your own internal motivation to take advantage of all the continuing professional development opportunities and that the experience here at the workshop would whet your appetite to advance yourselves to higher education,” Dr. Dennis-Bradshaw said.
The featured remarks were delivered by the Prime Minister and Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, who stressed the importance of strong leadership to the success of any institution.
“I want you to transcend just the manager’s role and think about being a leader. Leaders effect change [while] managers maintain the status quo…and therefore I encourage you to not only be managers but to be leaders,” said the Honourable Prime Minister.
Speaking directly to the nurses, Dr. Drew said, “I ask you to be first leaders of your own selves. Lead yourselves, influence yourselves to do what is right, do what is correct, be innovative, be proactive, care about what you do, and care about what you deliver. You have to start with self. After you’ve become a good leader of yourself then you can start leading a team and you adopt the same principles.”
Brief words of encouragement were also delivered to the participants by the Director of Operations at the Joseph N. France General Hospital, Lindsey Maynard.
Over the two-day training period, the participants will be engaged on the topics of ‘Advancing into Leadership Role’ and ‘Managing Resources’. This week’s exercise is the first in a series of planned workshops for nurse leaders in the Federation.
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