A shot in the arm for nurses

Star: MIRI: Sweeping improvements are in the pipeline for the nursing profession following the Health Ministry's decision to create a separate entity to manage the welfare of the country's 63,000 nurses.
Malaysia's first director of Nursing, Bibi Florina Abdullah, has outlined a blueprint aimed at drastically enhancing the professional prospects of nurses and at the same time cutting down dissatisfaction and grouses from patients and the public.

She said that among the plans already approved by the Health Minister and now being implemented were:
·THE enforcement of a 7S system; senyum (smile), salam (greet), segera (instant attendance to patient), sensitif (sensitive to needs of patients and their families), sopan (politeness), sentuh (personal touch) and segar (fresh appearance and always ready to serve);
·THE enforcement of a mentor-mentee system where a senior nurse will guide every new nurse on a one to one basis;
·THE upgrading of 58,000 nurses who are diploma holders to degree level in stages; and
·LIMITING very rural postings to two years and giving those posted to very remote areas greater chance of attending professional courses and training stints.

Bibi Florina, who was officially appointed to her post on Nov 1, was here for the National Nursing Matron's Technical Meeting that ended yesterday.
About 70 matrons, senior nurses and hospital directors throughout the country attended the four-day event.
Bibi Florina, who is also Principal Matron of the Ministry of Health's Nursing Board, said nursing used to be under the jurisdiction of the Medical Practice Division.
“The ministry's move to create a separate division for nurses is the Government's recognition of their contribution to the country,” she said.
“Our division reports directly to the Health Ministry director-general and we have the right to chart our plans for the future,” she said.
Bibi Florina said they would also advise the ministry on future nursing policies.