MY JOURNEY AS A YOUNG NURSE FROM 1985 TO 2022

I started on 9th February, 1985 as a student Nurse at the Nursing Training School in Korle-Bu for a three year comprehensive Nursing Course which I completed on 9th February, 1988 as a State Registered Nurse (SRN).

From Korle-Bu, I was posted to ENRH for my Rotation on 3rd March, 1988 and continued to the Nana Hema Dekyi Hospital at Dixcove in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region in 1988 where I worked till October, 1989.

Whilst there, I pursued the Midwifery Course in November, 1989 which I completed in 1990. I then returned to ENRH in 1990 as a Staff Nurse Midwife to practice General Nursing for two years. Afterwards, I was posted to the Axim Government Hospital in the Nzema East Municipality as a Staff Nurse Midwife in 1992.

Truly, one’s path could be made brighter with commitment and resoluteness so I worked hard, pushed further and never gave up on my professional vision of becoming a Deputy Director of Nursing Services.

From Axim, I was posted to Bamianko Community Clinic in the Ahanta West in 1996 where I spent about a year and half and then returned to Axim. The following year, I was promoted to the rank of Nursing Officer. In 1998, I was posted to Kutukrom as a Senior Staff Nurse Midwife for relieving duties where I spent one and a half years and then returned to Axim Hospital where I continued to practice as a Senior Midwife.

In the year 2000, I was promoted to Senior Nursing Officer and rose to become the head of the Nurses and Midwives and also a member of management at the Axim Government Hospital. There, I contributed significantly in planning and decision making in the facility.

In the year 2003, I pursued an Ear, Nose and Throat Nursing program which I completed in 2005. After completion, I was reposted to Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in May that year to practice Ear, Nose and Throat Nursing till 2012. Whist there I had the chance to do radio talk shows on health issues on the local FM stations namely, Melody, Skyy Power FM and Twin City radio. One of the notable programs which attracted a lot of listener and viewership was on Skyy Power FM and Skyy TV with Apostle Oppong Ankomah; a program called ‘Apow muƐ’ ‘Apow mu ye’
I practiced for 7 years at Effia Nkwanta and rose to Principal Nursing Officer.
In 2012, I was posted to Sefwi Wiaswso which was then a District Hospital as Head of Nursing and Nurse Manager. With my training on ENT Nurse, I established an Ear, Nose and throat Clinic in that facility. I practiced ENT Nursing alongside administrative work which I enjoyed doing.

I sought an opportunity to pursue Health Administration Management at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in June and completed in August 2012. I was promoted to the post of Deputy Director of Nursing Service in 2014 and practiced for 3 years in Sefwi Wiawso District Hospital. Whilst there I continued with radio talk shows to support the health needs of the community; this time on Liberty and Unique FM stations in Sefwi Wiawso.

In 2015, I was reposted to Essam government Hospital as Nurse Manager and Head of Nursing. I worked tirelessly to elevate the facility from the bottom to the top; and for the first time in 2015, we were first in the Western Regional Hospitals Peer Review exercise.

Because of my hard work, love for the profession and the affable nature with the community and to both my colleagues and juniors, I earned the name DD One. In Essam Government Hospital too, I established an Ear, Nose and Throat clinic and supported management to set up a dental clinic and a High Dependency Unit at the kids ward. During my tenure, some nurses from the facility were selected to undergo a three month pediatric care at the Sunyani Regional Hospital.

I promoted unity among all Nurses and Midwives as well as non-medical staff in the facility. At Essam we introduced a concept called Parks and Garden where I brought the youth together for a monthly general cleaning which included scrubbing inside and weeding around the Hospital.

On 19th April 2018, I was reposted to Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital as Head of Nursing and Midwifery. It was a period of distress for the Hospital which was then undergoing a major shakeup in the management. By 2019, the Ministry of Health through the Regional Health Directorate had constituted a new management for the facility. A Head of Nursing together with the new management of the facility, a lot has been achieved. The following are just to mention a few.
• The establishment of a Wellness Centre.
• Breast Care Centre.
• Endoscopy and Diagnostic Units.
• Establishment of the Intensive Care Unit
• Lobbying for items and consumables at the peak of COVID 19
• Preceptor
• Educator in ENT Nursing
• HIV counselor
• TBA Trainee
• Ward A Annex.
• Dialysis Unit.
• Set up Covid 19 Centre.
• Referral Call Centre.

I also supported Management and played instrumental roles in projects undertaken by the management. This include the construction of a New Conference Center and the Hospital canteen.
I also instituted a bi weekly clinical supportive supervision for Nurses and Midwives by ward managers and block supervisors. I encouraged and supported the training of nursing staff. One which is notable in my tenure was the release of ten nurses and midwives for a three month crash program on intensive and critical care for the establishment of an ICU at ENRH.
Through the will of the Almighty I am proud and grateful for the opportunity to serve people of the Western Region in particular and Ghana as a whole. I have given training to many Traditional Birth Attendants in the region. I have personally supported individuals bringing relief to their plights. A case in point is the recent explosion that devastated the people of Appiatse. Through the grace of God I was able to mobilize support for some of the families who were in difficult times.
I have become a friend and mother to many people in the region who passed through my hands as clients in the various facilities I have worked. With many of them I have established a long standing and fruitful relationship which sometimes goes beyond healthcare.
Indeed, I am proud to be a nurse and will always support nursing and midwifery.

MY VISION STATE

• To provide specialized and quality care by projecting the image, values and uniqueness of the hospital.

• To bring all category of Nursing and Midwifery staff under one umbrella and to serve them to their satisfaction in order for them to give proper and standardized healthcare to the people of Western region and beyond.

MISSION STATEMENT
• To promote the welfare of our noble profession to the highest grade.

• To become the center of excellence in the provision of efficient and effective health care service delivery in Western Region.

CORE VALUE

• Friendliness
• Professionalism
• Centre of Excellence
• Impartation
• Good customer care
• Honesty
• Equity
• Confidentiality
• Transparency
• Problem Solving
• Empowerment