International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on 12th May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingales birth. It is an annual event when nurses around the world come together to celebrate what it means to be a nurse. The theme for this years celebration is; Nurses: A Force for Change: Care Effective, Cost Effective.
Professor Seamus Cowman, Head of School of Nursing & Midwifery at RCSI Bahrain said "International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every 12th May; this years theme highlights the importance of nursing in health services. All of us at RCSI Bahrain are very pleased to host the nurses of Bahrain.
For the first time in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and under the patronage of the H.E Lieutenant General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Health, nurses in Bahrain joined together to celebrate and debate professional nursing issues in an all-day event held at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain).
Participants included the Ministry of Health, Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services, King Hamad University Hospital, University of Bahrain - College of Health Sciences, Sh. Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre, American Mission Hospital, Awali Hospital, Ibn Alnafees Hospital, and other health care institutions, both governmental and private.
A series of scientific events were offered throughout the day. The keynote speaker was Dr Sandra Lovering, PhD, Executive Director of Nursing Affairs in the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Dr Lovering has developed a nursing model of care that is sensitive and congruent in the care of Arab Muslim patients.
RCSI Bahrain President, Professor Sameer Otoom, commented on the importance of this event "We are honoured to be part of such a significant event and to host all the nursing leaders in the country, who joined forces to celebrate IND together for the first time in Bahrain . We greatly appreciate the support of H.E. Lieutenant General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al- Khalifa, and his continuous efforts towards bringing together healthcare professionals on such occasions. His Excellencys patronage of this event is a great motivation to nurses across the Kingdom".