Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew (center) with President of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, Mr. Andrew Abraham; Principal Nursing Officer, Dr. Rondalyn Dennis-Bradshaw, Dean of the Division of Health Science, Ms. Marshalette Smith; and students of the Nursing Education Department
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (Press Secretary, PMO) – In a commendable display of commitment to advancing healthcare education and improving the quality of healthcare professionals, Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, recently spearheaded the donation of crucial equipment to benefit nursing students at the Division of Health Science Nursing Education Department at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC).
Recognizing the importance of maintaining high standards in healthcare education, the CFBC Division of Health Science and the St. Kitts-Nevis Student Nurses Association joined forces to seek donations that would enhance the services available to students in the Nursing Education Department. Their request for support was made through Ms. Marshalette Smith, who was at that time the Academic Advisor and now serves as the Dean of the Division. The aim was to secure the necessary financing and acquire new equipment to facilitate effective training.
Prime Minister Drew, driven by his passion for advancing healthcare and ensuring that the healthcare sector aligns with international standards, swiftly took action. He facilitated the acquisition of a new Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training kit and Intravenous (IV) Training Arms for the Nursing Education Department at CFBC.
During the equipment handing-over ceremony, earlier today, Monday 2nd October 2023, Prime Minister Drew emphasized the significance of these resources, stating, “I came basically to make a presentation of simulation equipment so that our nurses who are in training can learn effectively and through international standards, how do you revive a patient, how do you find a vein, how do you set up a drip system. This type of training is critical if we are to continue to produce quality nurses here as we seek to continue to improve our healthcare delivery.”
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the college, Dean Marshalette Smith remarked, ” Life is important and here at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, all nursing students actively learn basic life support and for that CPR equipment is very important. We are truly thankful to the Prime Minister and his office for the donation of our CPR mannequins as well as our IV cannulation system for our students. It is critical for our students to practice at international standards to be able to recognize deterioration in signs of life and to intervene accordingly.”
Dr. Drew’s commitment to healthcare education extended beyond the equipment donation; during the ceremony, he actively engaged with the students, demonstrating his profound dedication to the healthcare sector while illustrating the use of the equipment and testing their knowledge and skills.
The equipment donated will also serve students in other programmes offered at the Division, including the Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and the Elderly Care certificate courses. This multifaceted contribution underscores Prime Minister Drew’s commitment to raising the quality of healthcare education and, consequently, improving healthcare services in Saint Kitts and Nevis.