Nurses’ Order celebrates International Day and launches a rights campaign

The Nurses Order organised yesterday an event entitled “for a more conducive work environment” to celebrate the international Nurses’ Day (May 12th).  The event was held at the UNESCO palace under the auspices of the Minister of Public Health represented by Asaad Khoury and with the participation of the representative of the Minister of Labor, Eman Khazaal, and the president of the Parliamentary Commission for health, MP Atef Majdalani as well as the participation of nurses and public figures.
The event included the launch of a campaign entitled “the rights and dignity of nurses” which aims at putting in place initiatives and mechanisms which will limit risks related to occupational hazards, the protection of nurses from violence on the work place and the creation of systems for reporting any form of violence or abuse in the practice of nursing.
The head of the nursing order, Helen Samaha Nouweyhed, gave a keynote address calling on decision makers in the health sector to adopt and abide by the fundamental principles for strengthening the nursing sector and emphasizing its role as a sector enjoying vital human, professional economic and social resources.  She also called on the health sector, and particularly hospitals, to adopt flexible working hours and ensure that working hours do not exceed 42 hours per week so as to ensure the safety of patients, while finally calling for improving salaries, supporting the legal and professional rights of nurses and ensuring close accompaniment during their education and employment. The opening was followed by a discussion seminar focusing on improving the working environment for nurses in which participated Mohammad Alameddine, Riwa al-Atrah, Ogarite Younan and Asaad Khoury.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 9 May 2013
For more news about nurses in Lebanon check the previous articles published on WEEPortal on 08/05/2013 titled 67.5% of nurses in Lebanon plan to leave their profession because of working hours and poor career prospects and on 13/12/2012 titled: 62% of nurses in Lebanon suffer from violence and verbal abuse