Dr. RC Lamichhane,
Nursing Association of Nepal (NAN), an authentic organization of Nepalese registered nurses, has collaborated with Eastern Research Institute of Positive Science (ERIPS) to conduct the Appreciative Inquiry Training as a part of Nursing Now Campaigns in Nepal. In Nepal, More than 70,000 nursing professionals are legally registered in National Nursing Council. The Nursing professionals are the key actors of Nepalese health care system. Their knowledge, skills, attitude, communication skills and decisions determine the quality of health care of the country. They are equally responsible for preventive and curative health care. To implement the campaign successfully and to unbridle the positive potential of nursing professionals and motivate nurses towards the quality of services “Appreciative Inquiry to unleash the positive potential of nursing professionals” training was conducted. Total 12 training series for 1600 nurses were conducted from Eastern to Western Nepal. The main objective of the training was to transfer the transformational change skill through the application of Appreciative Inquiry Approach and make them able to re-invent the positive opportunities in very adverse and challenging situations by the application of Appreciative Inquiry approach in various stages of the services.
Appreciative Inquiry is all about searching the positive cores and strengths in every completed tasks and envisioning inspirational opportunities for future action. It is a co-evolutionary approach that focuses to bring out the best in the people, organization, family and everyone around for anticipating the positive and inspirational future. It also inspires people to search for the life giving forces in any adverse situations that might occur. Life is the collection of several actions. Once an action is completed there is always another action that follows. The appreciative inquiry approach connect these two different actions positively. If the inquiry from these actions is attained positive, it can be generalized that life will move towards positive direction and shape positive personality. Nepalese Nurses are responsible for accomplishing important works in their personal and professional life daily both in favorable and adverse situations. The skill, attitude and mindset of nurses determine the dignified quality cares offered to the patients in any adverse situation. They need to know how to search for the life giving forces and positive cores in any adverse situation for quality care and services. Appreciative Inquiry teaches them to search the positive cores and life giving forces in any adverse situation.
Nursing Association of Nepal is implementing the “Nursing Now” Campaign. It is a three year global campaign (2018-2020), which aims to improve the public health and overall health condition by raising the profile and status of nursing worldwide. The Nursing now campaigns focuses on five core areas that includes creating conducive environment so that nurses and midwives have a more prominent voice in health policy-making process, encouraging greater investment in the nursing workforce, recruiting more nurses into leadership positions, conducting research that helps determine where nurses can have greatest impact and sharing the best nursing practices.
The 21st century is known as the century of knowledge, skill and wisdom. The quality of the health care depends on the knowledge, skill, attitude and wisdom of nursing professionals as well as an investment on nursing sectors. This sector needs multi sectorial collaboration and cooperation to be flourished. This independent sector of health science is rather supportive or auxiliary. To fulfill all the demands of service holders, the nurses need to have special characteristic that makes them unique, accountable and empathetic. The updated knowledge and information, capacity to understand the client’s emotions, skill to connect emotionally, readiness and willingness for all time service, creative and innovative ways of thinking and doing and the skill to use the latest technologies are fundamental factors that empower nurses to be outstanding positive professionals.
In Nepal, nursing is one of the growing sectors. Huge numbers of qualified and skillful human sources are associated with this sector. If the health sector of Nepal including government, non-government and private sectors unleash the positive potential of nursing sector, the health situation of Nepal will undergo positive change dramatically. The nurses of the country need the warm guardianship from the government and beneficiary communities. The government and private sectors must understand that the professional growth opportunities, reasonable payments, appropriate working places, respect and physical and professional securities are the fundamental requirements for quality services.
Nepalese nurses have saved thousands of life with minimum services and facilities. Most of the nurses of Nepal are titleholder in converting the adversity into privilege. Because of such skills, millions of people of the rural areas are getting new life. Health posts, public health service centers and district hospitals have sparse facilities and equipment. Public health has always been a marginalized agenda at all levels of government. However, the quality of the services provided by Nurse seems very inspirational. The women in rural areas are very shy to share their pain and problem in front of outsiders. So, to make them comfortable to share their problems the nurses talk with them and diagnose their condition and finally treat them. In many cases women in rural areas suffering from problems such as the uterus prolapse, fistula disorder, bleeding and various seasonal diseases have been successfully diagnosed and treated by the nurses. Because of such care, new health behavior and awareness is emerging in rural areas. Also, rural people are now more concerned about the preventive methods.
Nurses have been challenging the gender and cast discrimination pre-existent in Nepalese society.. Their works have been contributing to promote the equality and justice in society. Since the nurses are saving thousands of lives every year, their contribution towards humanity is unparalleled with any other sector. This is the potential sector for world-class recognition like Nobel Prize. If we think the life above all, it is my belief that nursing sector deserves the highest respect and recognition. I believe, Nepalese nurses have the potential to be the best among the world if they can foster their belief, sharpen themselves and provide quality of services with positive intentions.
The government, academic institutions and politicians need to understand and acknowledge the contribution that the Nepalese nurses have been providing to our society. Nursing is the ultimate way to improve the public health of our country. Government must increase the investment in this sector and academic institutions need to change the strategy to provide the world class nursing education in Nepal. If government can supply the required number of nurses’ up-to the cluster level, the country will be free from seasonal communicable disease and reproductive health will be significantly improved. Investment in health sector is much cheaper than any infrastructure project or military expenses. Government must take the chance for the betterment before its’ too late.
