Belize nurses seek int’l affiliation
As the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital makes the transition from direct government management to a more privatized administration, the people who work there will also need to make changes. The nurses, through the Belize Nurses Association, are aware of this and are taking steps to strengthen their skills as well as their bargaining position. One move they are making is to increase their international stature by joining the International Council of Nurses. Judith Oulton, the ICN’s Chief Executive Officer, is here to evaluate the BNA’s application.
Judith Oulton, CEO, International Council of Nurses
“An association applies to be part of ICN and must meet a number of standards and criteria that we set. Primarily that means they must represent the nurses within the country and they must agree that they are non-partisan, they must be committed to standards of excellence in nursing and to influencing health policy in their country in a positive way.”
“We have asked them to full out an in depth questionnaire that looks at nursing in the country and health care within the country. I will interview the executive of the association and meet with the Minister of Health, with the chief nurse and go and visit some of the hospitals and the school of nursing and talk to people. I want to know how representative the association is, if it is held in high regards within the health care community and can it impact positively on standards of health care.”
Chandra Cansino, V.P Belize Nurses Association
“We stand to gain several things. First of all we have a standard of excellence, the standard of nursing that we will have to maintain if we want to continue being recognized by the International Council for Nurses, we have international voice in four of nurses internationally, we have a lot of benefits. There will be a lot of conferences that the nurses will be able to attend.”
The Belize association was formed in 1955. Cansino is optimistic that by the end of Oulton’s three-day visit the Belize Association of Nurses will be accepted to join the other 120 associations belonging to the ICN.
