With the critical role that nurses have in executing doctors' orders for patients relief and medications, registered nurse Mary Ann Alfonso reiterated how important it is to recognise the noble work nurses do.
"Someone’s life depends on us,” says Blacktown Hospital General Medical nurse, adding "Yes, doctors give orders, but nurses carry out the tasks needed for patients."
Highlights
- The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has seen how critical the work of nurses are in ensuring our society's health and safety.
- Even before the pandemic, nurses have been the bastion of health service providing tender loving care (TLC) to patients. Respect is the best way for society to show gratitude for the world's frontliners.
- The World Health Organisation has declared 2020 as International Year of the Nurse and Midwife in recognition of their tireless work.
Ms Alfonso has been working as a nurse for 25 years. She acknowledges how important it is to recognise nurses' great work.
Even before the pandemic, "we [nurses] work for you and ensure that we do our work right" in protecting our patients says Ms Alfonso who had worked in various hospitals in the Philippines, the UK and now in Australia.
"Nursing is a noble profession. We value respect and professionalism in our work," shares the Sydney-based nurse, saying that she "feels bad hearing about nurses being disrespected at shopping centres, or groceries".
As frontliners during the coronavirus pandemic, there are incidents where many nurses had experienced discrimination as people fear they may carry or contract the virus.
2020 has been declared by the World Health Organisation as the in recognition of the "work and contributions of nurses and midwives to patients and to the health system more broadly" as well as the risks associated with nursing shortages.
