NORTHERN Ireland nurses have been praised for their contribution to the health service.
Speaking at the Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year 2016 Awards ceremony in Hillsborough Castle, hosted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Charlotte McArdle, paid tribute to all the nurses within the Health and Social Care (HSC) system.
Professor McArdle said: “I congratulate you all for being a force for change in our HSC. “We all have a collective responsibility as a force for change in developing a ‘culture of health’. A culture where prevention of ill-health and supporting self-care are central to practice and contribute to improved outcomes and reduced health inequalities for our patients.
“Nurses bring together attributes of caring, underpinning theoretical knowledge, interpretation of the person’s need and most importantly the competence and confidence to execute decisions that have a positive impact on the person’s outcome.”