Acting Director of Nursing at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Mad. Paulina Adomako has intimated that the very core function of nurses is to care for patients under their care.
According to her, nursing incorporates two very important complimentary aspects; theory which provides the foundation and practice, the visible structure of the profession.
Speaking at the 2025 induction ceremony of 220 level 200 students of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Cape Coast, she mentioned that students learn theory, practice on mannequins, and then gain real-world experience with clinical supervisors.
Mad. Adomako urged the inductees to strike a balance between the two indicating “You shouldn’t only focus on the theory but also focus on the practical sessions.”
She encouraged the students to be ambassadors change that will positively impact the nursing profession in Ghana.
She advised them to strive to develop clinical skills and competence as only academic grades do not determine a nurse’s quality.
“When a building is complete, do we see the foundation? Definitely not. The foundation may be solid but when people are passing, it is the structure that is admired. You may graduate with third class honors but it is the quality of your work that will make your patients describe you as good or as a bad nurse or midwife,” she continued.
Guest speaker for the ceremony, Ms Evelyn Baawa Eyeson, DCNO Emergency Nurse at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital highlighted the theme: “Empowered to Care, Prepared to Lead: A Journey in Nursing and Midwifery”.
She emphasized that as the demand for health and care services continues to rise and systems grapple with increasing complexity, the need for nurses and midwives to have a voice and influence decision making processes has never been more crucial.
She said empowered to care means building a personal brand which encompasses the unique combination of skills, values, and experiences that define an individual’s identity.
She indicated that for nurses and midwives, it reflects their expertise, values, identity and consistently embodying this brand will enable them build trust and credibility amongst patients and peers.
Ms Eyeson urged the students in their practice to take immediate action to do a root cause analysis and discover what has caused the increase in post-op infections rather than waiting for higher management to intervene.
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Source: Anthony Sasu Ayisadu/ATLFMNEWS
