Six (6) Members of the Anguilla Nurses Association attended the 29th Biennial conference of the Caribbean Nurses Organization in St Lucia from 26th -31st October 2014. The six (6) members, Mrs. Twyla Bradshaw-Richardson – President, Ms. Fola Richardson – Treasurer, Mrs. Carol Bart –Elliott- Secretary, Mrs. Christine Reid – Assistant Secretary/Treasury, Mrs. Alicia Haywood and Ms Dorpha Seabrookes returned to the island on Sunday 2nd November following a packed programme of activities which ranged from a variety of educational sessions and business meetings in the day to cocktails with the Governor General of St Lucia, Dame Pearlette Louisy, cultural evening and other forms of evening entertainment. The conference was attended by over 300 nursing personnel representing twenty (20) countries within the region, American and Canada.
This year’s theme for the conference was “Nursing and Midwifery, Integrating Knowlede, Skills and Attitude in the delivery of safe patient care”. This theme is quite fitting as the aim of the Anguilla Nurses Association is to move nursing forward through education and motivation of Nurses in an effort to enhance their skills, knowledge and attitudes. The information gained from this Conference will be shared with other members of the Nursing staff and senior managers through different forum as we strive to ensure that the professional standards of Nursing and Midwifery in our country are adhered to.
Nursing is not an act it is a Science; it is constantly evolving and our hallmark is to offer the highest standard of Nursing care to our people who are depending on us to deliver that care. It is a fact that we are caring people who care for people. We have developed a reputation in the international arena as all – rounders; our profession is truly a noble one.
Mrs. Richardson stated that a special effort was made through hard work and kind sponsors within the Anguillian community, to ensure that Anguilla was well represented at this year’s Conference by a good contingency of Nurses. The last time Anguilla was represented at a CNO conference was 2008, which was held in Guadeloupe when three (3) members of the association were in attendance. The Anguilla Nurses Association intents to ensure that Anguilla will be represented in Antigua at the 30th Biennial Conference in 2016 as the Nurses attendance to these conferences are vital to the development of our profession as it provides the opportunity to interact with other nurses and to share information and experiences.
“This year we have the assurance of the previous and re- elected president Mrs. Antoinette Patterson Bartley of Jamaica and the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Nurses Organization, that special attention will be given to Nursing in Anguilla within the next six (6) months to advocate for and to make recommendations to the relevant principals on Anguilla for improved health care delivery system and condition of service in Nursing. May our dynamism be a strong force to be reckoned with as we serve our people and protect our Profession.
