May 12 Nurses Day Celebrated at PAU

The event held at PAU Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Yılmaz Congress and Culture Center started with a moment of silence followed by the reading of the National Anthem. In the program, which continued with opening speeches, PAU Hospitals Nursing Services Manager Demet Ekici, Dean of PAU Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Sevgi Özkan, Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kutluhan delivered their speeches respectively.

Director of Nursing Services Ekici: "We nurses are a professional group working with humanitarian feelings in the foreground as well as professionalism while fulfilling our duty as a profession."

Pamukkale University Hospitals Nursing Services Manager Demet Ekici stated the following in her speech: "The Nursing Week, which we celebrate every year on May 12-18, is unfortunately a sad commemoration this year. Before I start my speech, I wish God's mercy to all our citizens, especially our healthcare workers, who lost their lives in the disaster of the century, and a speedy recovery to our wounded. The earthquake disaster we experienced on the night of February 6 showed us how much duty we, as nurses, have in the field of reconstruction and rehabilitation during and after disasters. As nurses, we have seen in the lives we witnessed in the earthquake region how valuable the health lost, every breath taken in life, every organ we use is for the individual. Taking part in the earthquake region since the first day of the disaster gave us the opportunity to serve as planning and organization in the post-disaster treatment and recovery process of nursing. When the Provincial Directorate of Health asked for volunteer teams from our institution, fortunately, more than a hundred of my fellow nurses working in different departments requested to go to the disaster area.

My colleagues who set off voluntarily, without thinking about what they would leave behind and what awaited them there, prepared themselves in a period of only two hours and set off back to back with the cargo plane waiting for them... As Pamukkale University nurses; not only our colleagues who went to the disaster area, but also our entire team who stayed behind, we acted with the awareness that practicing nursing in every field is a part of the education we received. As nurses, we are a professional group working with humanitarian feelings at the forefront as well as professionalism while fulfilling our duties as a profession. Everything we strive to do is kneaded with a little patience, a little empathy and a little compassion along with knowledge. As it is not possible to be compensated for the labor and effort put forth, unfortunately, violence in health has become a situation that we, the healthcare team, constantly face with all its unpleasantness. Legal regulations and constructive policies to be developed will bring the nursing profession closer to the position it deserves. Despite all the disadvantages of the nursing profession, we will continue to endeavor to continue our work by going beyond our duty. Before concluding my remarks, I would like to thank two of my working groups. Firstly, I would like to thank all my teammates who took part in the disaster area and stayed behind to support all kinds of initiatives during the great disaster that tested us as a nation, and secondly, I would like to thank my colleagues who have served our institution for many years and have decided to retire. Thank you again for all your efforts and endeavors. I wish you health, happiness and peace in this new period of your lives... I congratulate all my colleagues, faculty members and students of nursing faculties on Nurses' Day, with the hope of celebrating this year's nursing week with great enthusiasm and excitement in the coming years. Before leaving the rostrum, I would like to convey the wishes of Mr. Ali Fuat Atik, our Governor, which he would like me to share with you: 'Dear fellow nurses, although I would very much like to be with you today, I am unable to attend your event due to my illness. I congratulate you on Nurses' Day and wish you many more working years full of health and happiness. I send you my warmest love and greetings.'"