VM boss urges nurses to share expertise

President and Chief Executive Officer of Victoria Mutual Group (VM) Courtney Campbell has called on nurses in the United Kingdom (UK) of Jamaican heritage to share their expertise with their counterparts in Jamaica through a mentorship or exchange arrangement.

Campbell, who was in the UK last week as part of VM's annual listening tour connecting with VM'S UK members, was invited to address the Nurses Association of Jamaica (UK) at the association's 40th anniversary dinner in London on Saturday night.

"Let me use this opportunity to encourage the nurses' association and its members to consider sharing your expertise with your colleagues in Jamaica through

a mentorship or exchange arrangement. The experience you have gained here in the UK could be of tremendous benefit to the nurses of Jamaica," said Campbell. "Likewise, you could benefit from that interaction by gaining a better understanding of the methods and practices employed by Jamaican nurses, who very often are forced into innovation by the lack of modern equipment, insufficient medical supplies, and shortage of staff. The sharing of knowledge benefits all involved with the ultimate beneficiary being the people in your care and the national health system as a whole. What greater legacy is there to leave behind?"

Campbell also encouraged the nurses to establish a mentoring programme for young people in the UK. "Think about the many young people of Jamaican descent in the UK. Some are pursuing their dreams and excelling in their chosen fields. But there are thousands who feel alienated, disenfranchised, defeated by the system. The question is: how can you with your gifts and experience, as individuals in your communities or working as the NAJ (UK), provide a hedge of protection for our young people?