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It is time for nursing to be perceived in Armenia as a separate scientific field, Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan said, describing the role of nurses in the country’s healthcare achievements as invaluable.
Avanesyan made the remarks at the 4th International Nursing Congress of Armenia, titled “Global Nursing Leadership, Leading Through Uncertainty,” in Yerevan.
She said that for many years, nursing was unfortunately not perceived as an independent, important and equal professional field with its own place in the overall healthcare system. However, this trend has changed, and Armenia is gradually establishing a model of multidisciplinary, integrated teams.
Avanesyan said such events are important for reaffirming the role and significance of nurses and nursing in patient treatment and care. She highlighted the adoption of a bachelor’s degree program in nursing in Armenia, which is already producing graduates.
“We have recently adopted the government program, and we are launching a five-year development phase. We have recorded that the scope of a nurse’s work, their role, responsibilities and professional remit need to be reaffirmed,” Avanesyan said.
She added that healthcare institutions need to understand what role nurses trained under different programs should have and how their professional growth should develop. It is also necessary to determine what role nursing professionals should have in the management of healthcare institutions, she said.
Avanesyan also said that the name of the profession may in some respects be limiting and that a change in thinking is needed so that nursing is not perceived as a profession only for women.
“The role of nurses in the achievements we have made in the healthcare system, the most important of which are increased life expectancy and improved quality of life, is invaluable. Even if a complex surgery is performed using the latest technological solutions, it is difficult to imagine achieving our goals without a competent and caring nursing team,” she said.
Avanesyan said there is still a long way to go, and that the quality of educational programs needs to be further improved, international accreditation systems introduced, admission examinations for nursing programs made more rigorous, and theoretical and practical components of education developed in balance. She said future nurses should enter the profession with the necessary skills and knowledge for working with patients and continue their professional development throughout their careers.
“We recognize that overall, there is a very strong need for nurses and nursing professionals around the world. That demand will continue to grow. One of the main ways to overcome these difficult challenges is to strengthen nursing, increase the sense of responsibility, provide a broader scope for professional activity, and ensure harmonious cooperation between doctors and nurses,” the minister said.
She stressed that it is time for nursing to be perceived in Armenia as a separate scientific field and said young and experienced professionals should turn their knowledge and innovative approaches into important educational and scientific materials.
Avanesyan said professional growth should also be accompanied by appropriate remuneration.
“We need to set stricter professional requirements, but in return we also need to remunerate our nurses accordingly, understanding that we cannot achieve patient recovery if we do not pay sufficient attention to this part of the healthcare system,” she said.
The minister said she would like to see more such educational and scientific events held in Armenia so that specialists can share experience, hear about new approaches, learn and teach. She also expressed pride that Armenia’s nursing professionals’ association is an important part of the international professional community, saying this is what will enable the country to develop nursing carefully and consistently.