Accra, Aug 4, GNA - Dr. Benjamin Kumbour, Deputy Minister of Health, on Tuesday called on nurses to revisit the core values of their profession and design new approaches for improved and effective results in the nation's health delivery. "Our nurses must realize that they are one of the key pivots around which the health sector revolves and as well understand that they have an image to protect,"

"With the patient charter for health in operation, coupled with the increased knowledge in Information Communication Technology, medico-legal issues, patient safety and human right issues, nurses must devise ways of not only maintaining the ethics of the profession but also standards that meet internationally accepted criteria so as to remain marketable", he said The minister gave the advice at the opening of a three-day international nursing conference, jointly organised by a team of health educators from the United State of America and the Valley View University in Accra.

The conference dubbed "Nursing in the 21st Century: New Approaches for improved Outcomes" would serve as an educational platform for health workers and also expose them to major issues that confront the nursing profession.

It also seeks to promote creative and critical thinking as well as strategically putting in place, effective plans to enhance clinical practice and improve patient care in the country. Participants were drawn from health care institutions nationwide as well as health workers from the US and Canada. Dr. Kumbour said excellence in nursing practice could only be achieved through a shared governance approach that promotes the involvement of nurse in interdisciplinary collaboration and provides avenues for the nurse to advocate for the patient in clinical and organizational decision-making.

He said nurses need to collaborate with patients, families, and other health team members to plan and provide nursing care that would help achieve an optimal level of health and wellness. Pastor K. Annoah Boafo, Director of Seventh Day Adventist Health Service Ghana, said in the mist of emerging new challenges, the ability of nurses to deliver quality care in the 21st Century depended on good training, understanding, motivation, commitment and dedication to work. He called on the nurses to work hard and help reduce preventable disease such as malaria, diabetes and high maternal mortality in the various communities.

"I trust that knowledge gained during this conference will be put into practice to help reduce preventable disease in the country", he said. 4 Aug. 09