The need to have more specialized nurses was also discussed at the inaugural Pacific Heads of Nursing meeting earlier this year. This meeting was timely given that 2020 is the year of the nurses and midwives and allowed Pacific heads of nursing to connect with each other, share challenges, solutions and provide support for capacity building.

The Pacific Community (SPC) with funding assistance from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provided 114 nurses the opportunity to enrol into the critical care surge training program. Ms Alison Mcmillian, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer from Australia was present at this meeting as well and assisted with the opportunity of having Pacific nurses join this training.

Meet Priyanka Anshu Dutt, a registered nurse based at the Labasa Hospital as she shares her experience and thoughts after successfully completing the critical care surge training. 

Nurses that have completed this training are from 17 Pacific Island Countries (PICTs) namely American Samoa, Cook Islands, CNMI, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau and Vanuatu.