“The Regional Nursing Body discussed a number of policies and tools aimed at significantly improving the level of care provided by nurses in the Region. The body continued the work towards completing the revision of the Caribbean Standards for Nursing and Midwifery Education and Practice to ensure that these standards were harmonised throughout the Region and remained consistent with international policies and guidelines. This would ensure that nursing and midwifery professionals were better equipped to serve the population of the Community.”
Helen Royer, Director of Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat
The Regional Nursing Body (RNB) is on a trajectory to improve health outcomes for the people of the Caribbean Community through harmonising standards, training, and assessment tools for nurses. This was the focus of four days of discussions by stakeholders in the nursing profession, which took place at the CARICOM Secretariat’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.
Thirty-one (31) policy and clinical management professionals participated in the Fifty-Third Joint Meeting of the Executive and Education Committees and the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Practice Committee of the RNB under the chairmanship of Ms Nester Edwards, Chief Nursing Officer from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs of Grenada.
In her address to the meeting, Ms Helen Royer, Director of Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, emphasized the unwavering commitment of stakeholders to advancing quality in nursing, underscoring the dedication that is evident in the nursing community:
“The Regional Nursing Body discussed a number of policies and tools aimed at significantly improving the level of care provided by nurses in the Region. The body continued the work towards completing the revision of the Caribbean Standards for Nursing and Midwifery Education and Practice to ensure that these standards were harmonised throughout the Region and remained consistent with international policies and guidelines. This would ensure that nursing and midwifery professionals were better equipped to serve the population of the Community,” stated the Director.
Dr Serena Bender-Pelswijk, Deputy Programme Manager for Health Sector Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, underscored the integral role of these discussions in developing and refining the tools and policies used to advance the nursing profession in the Region.
“Participants are discussing the development of Standards for the education, practice and regulation of the ‘Advanced Practice Nurse’ considering the expansion of the specialties in the nursing profession in response to the evolving needs of the healthcare systems in the Region. In addition, the meeting received a presentation by the World Health Organisation on the Human Resources for Resilient Health Systems Caribbean Roadmap 2025,” added Dr Bender-Pelswijk.
The RNB, as the advisory body on matters related to the education, practice and regulation of nurses and midwives, plays a crucial role in improving nursing and its contribution to health care in the Region. It also provides advisory services to Member States on request and as mandated by the Conference of Ministers responsible for health, ensures that nursing standards are constantly evolving and improving.
The RNB identifies the need for basic, post-basic, and continuing nursing education programmes that align with current trends in nursing and health care in the Region. Among other strategic objectives, it promotes developing, implementing, and evaluating quality assurance programmes in nursing and health care.
