WHO CC UTS member Suzanne Rochester and Director Michele Rumsey have been working alongside Moralene Capelle, the Director of Nursing Policy & Standards of the Department of Health and Medical Services in Nauru, to establish a Nursing Standards Committee. The Secretary for Health Mrs Chanda Garabwan and the Deputy Secretary Mr Andrew O'Connell were in attendance for the opening of the workshop. The purpose of this Committee is to strengthen Nursing Standards and Practice through clear Guidelines, Scope of Practice, and Policy focusing on coordinated activities for patient care and safety. First workshop was held in September with the objectives of, discussing Nursing policies, protocols and guidelines, discussing Nursing standards, and identifying key elements of competencies.
During the workshop, participants highlighted the importance of nurses in Nauru to contributing significantly to health care by making up 80% of the health workforce and providing primary health and clinical services to the entire population in the country. Participants were invited to discuss the current competency standards in Nauru and how they reflect nursing practices in the country and reflected on the relevance of the current scope of practice for nurses in Nauru. Lastly, participants were introduced to a brief overview for competency framework development and to aspects that make this process a complex and detailed activity.
Workshop participants included: Moralene Capelle Director of Nursing Policy and Standards; Trixie Fritz, Actg Assistant Director of Nursing Policy and Standards; Cherish Duburiya, Actg Nursing standards Manager; Patrina Akua, Chief Matron Public Health; Salanieta Adikawa, Actg Chief Matron RONH; Celestine Eoaeo, Child and Adolescent Health Coordinator; Deanna Demuro, Eye Care Coordinator; Keri Detenamo, Dialysis Unit Manager; Elizabeth Giouba, GOPD Unit Manager ; Rusieli Taukei, Senior Lecturer; Penina Druavesi, Unit Manager; Patricia Demingauwe,Midwife; Rachael Gadarao, Secretariat.