44 nurses off to new posts in T&T

Forty-four local nurses left the state this week to take up positions within the health sector in Trinidad and Tobago.{{more}}

Although it should have been 45, one nurse opted to pursue a career in the British Army.

While some were apprehensive about the move, the majority of the nurses expressed optimism, some saying that they saw the move as an opportunity for self-development.

“I see it as a good opportunity to go out and experience nursing in a different country,” Afeisha Phillips, said.

Phillips, who studied in Cuba and graduated in 2012, said that she looked forward to the move, adding that she would be given the opportunity to learn different things.

“You’ve got to learn different things, because not everywhere they would be doing the same thing and for me, it’s an advantage, because I could study and further my education,” she said.

Among the professional opportunities, Phillips said that she was looking forward to meeting new friends and experiencing a new culture.

Saran Richards, a graduate of the Division of Nursing in June 2013, said that she would have preferred to work here; however, there are just not enough positions to be filled locally.

She explained that the local nurses are trained to work in any environment, including those regionally and internationally.

“So, if an opportunity came up that I could work in another country, then I would have gladly accepted that opportunity.

“The idea for Trinidad came up and I thought it would have been good to get different cultural experiences before I actually decide to work here,” she continued.

Having the opportunity to work in Trinidad would allow her to progress professionally, she added.

According to Richards, she currently holds a Diploma in Nursing, but says that she now has the opportunity to pursue her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

Amanda Woodley, a former staff nurse at the Enhams Health Centre and a graduate of the Division of Nursing 2010, said that she has been putting herself in a positive frame of mind.

“And just hoping for the best,” she said.

Woodley told SEARCHLIGHT that she took the opportunity because she wanted to expand on her skills and experiences.

“In Trinidad there are a lot of specialized areas and services, so I will get to see more and would be better able to manage the patients in that regard.”

She remained optimistic, saying that nursing was a career where there was always room for expansion.

“There is the opportunity to grow, so I embraced it because of that,” Rozanne O’Garro, a nursing professional with eight years experience in the local health care system, said.

Her experience includes work done in the surgical unit, the accident and emergency unit and pediatrics.

O’Garro told SEARCHLIGHT that she was hoping to be assigned to the surgical or accident and emergency unit.

Some said that they were a bit apprehensive about the move, however, the consensus by the majority was that while Trinidad and Tobago has had to deal with its own social problems there, they were not deterred by the reports of crime. (DD)