In Support of Nurses

We are also fulsome in our support of all hard-working, dedicated health care professionals who often go unnoticed and sometimes grossly under-appreciated.

This is why we are calling on the relevant authorities – inclusive of the Minister of Health and the Public Hospitals’ Authority – to do the right thing by way of these nurses.

Indeed, we are today absolutely convinced that these authorities – in consultation with the Minister of Finance – should go that extra mile in search of a way of causing this thing to happen despite the country’s economic challenges.

The President of the Bahamas Nurses Union, Cleola Hamilton is on record with her "…expressed disappointment that the government did not consult with nurses before deciding that they will withhold a new health insurance benefit worth some $10.5 million that is contained in their contract…"

We know it for a fact that some nurses, their families and a host of other Bahamians are outraged and incensed.

Those in charge should take note of this fact life.

If they are not careful, this one spark can morph into a wider conflagration – this due to the fact that when one set of hardworking people is affected, their families take the brunt of the punishment.

The nurses’ action has implications for the police, the teacher and all others with whom the nurses interact.

This refusal also has far-reaching implications for the health and well-being of the nurses themselves, their households and their children, most of all.

While all of this is true, [ and by definition] we would be remiss were we not to underscore what may well be the biggest contradiction of all, namely some of what the Prime Minister says, what he has proposed and the nurses’ reaction.

Just recently nurses applauded when Mr. Ingraham thanked them for an invitation of theirs to him. He commended them and indicated that he would like to, "… recognize and acknowledge the tremendous contribution of nurses to the health care system of The Bahamas…"

As promised so did he reach out to say that, he was happy for the opportunity to – as he put it phrase-wise, "…to record the thanks and appreciation of the Government and people of The Bahamas for the dedicated commitment of nurses to their profession and for their service to the Bahamian people and our many residents and visitors…"

Words that must be noted are, "dedicated commitment of nurses to their profession and for their service…"

It should therefore follow – at least in this case – for word to be matched with action.

We believe that – with will and steady determination – this thing involving the nurses insurance can happen.

Indeed, we see no reason why the current administration should not cause this thing to become a reality.

We hasten to add that there is a vital element – namely justice- that begs to be salvaged from a situation that has already gone on for far too long.

Indeed, like most people who would like to be considered sensible, reasonable and humane, we know that such attributes make for the establishment of social order and community.

We also know that there comes a time when words must be matched with action that is proportional to the words uttered.

In recent times, Prime Minister Ingraham has conceded that,

"…Persons under medical care require assistance at all hours of the day and night. Dutifully and routinely, nurses provide that care. We seldom think about it until we, or someone close to us, are in need of medical care, particularly hospital care…"

Prime Minister Ingraham goes on to say that, "Immediately, we want to know which medical facility provides the best nursing care or whether we can arrange for a particular set of nurses to be charged with the care of our loved ones…"

We know this to be the fact of the matter.

And clearly, no one could disagree with our nation’s leader when he notes that, "There are very few doctors who would not attest to the vital importance of nurses to patient recovery whether the patient is being treated for a chronic illness, recuperating after surgery or recovering from a trauma…"

Here we note the qualifier, ‘the vital importance of nurses to patient recovery…"

Surely, we could not have described the matter at hand in a better way!

As spoken by the prime minister, so [indeed] do we also agree.