Nursing Fraternity Leaders Push the Needle
T
he South African Military Health Service Nursing (SAMHS) Directorate hosted a Nurse Leaders Work Session at SAMHS Banana Beach Holiday Resort, in the KwaZulu Natal South Coast over the period 31 July to 4 August 2023 under theme “Pushing the Needle”, which is in line with the Surgeon General Intent and the National Health Strategy 2020/20212025/26 strategic goals. A total of 67 Nurses Leaders gathered at Banana Beach from all over the country, and represented every speciality in the SAMHS. During her opening remarks Acting Nursing Director Colonel I.M.A. Mabasa confirmed that Nurses account for approximately 20 % of SAMHS, the largest personnel corps of the SAMHS and she called on all them to unite as a team to improve nursing care in the organisation.
The nursing strategy 2021/ 2023, emphasises implementation of continuous measures to ensure improved nursing care through an empowered and developed practitioner through improved processes. Quality assurance and
the application of the Appreciative Inquiry Theoretical through a quality improvement framework, will assist in motivating Nurses as a Team and enhancing productivity. The Nurse Leaders discussed the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act) cycle and best to utilise it in every department, section and subsection of the Nursing Directorate. Some of the other burning topics that were discussed amongst others, the management of grievances’ the lack of and impact of critical resources (medication and medical consumables), the
nursing skill audit, the scope of the practise of the different categories of nurse, the integral role of training and development and the urgent need of functional reskilling training programs. The Area Military Health Formation (AMHF) Senior Staff Officer Nursing Colonel B.J. Dube presented AMHF Updated Structure, Implementation of Community Nursing, Management of Primary Health Care Nursing Services and Occupational Health and Safety nursing services. Tertiary Military Health Formation Major J.K. Tolong presented nursing service management, Clinical Education and Training Unit’s (CETU) in military hospitals and the Nurse Leader mentorship program.
SAMHS Nursing delegates devising and unfolding strategies at their work session in Banana Beach Resort , Kwa-Zulu Natal.
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Article & Photographs by Capt Menzi Cele
