Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan, Head of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, emphasized the need for nursing services that are strengthened in terms of knowledge, skills and legal aspects in the development of health services of societies.

Every year, the week of May 12-18 is celebrated as "Nursing Week" around the world. Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing Head Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan touched upon the place and importance of the nursing profession in society.

Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan said that the nursing profession is one of the professional health professions that provides long-term and direct care services to individuals and communities of all ages, in all environments, and is one of the most numerous health professionals.

Today, the importance of the nursing profession has increased

"Today, the importance of nursing has increased even more due to reasons such as the increase in the elderly population and chronic diseases, globalization, scientific and technological developments, and the orientation of health services from the hospital to the community," said President Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan, "For this reason, the World Health Organization, with the contribution of the International Council of Nurses, launched the Nursing Now campaign, aiming to improve the professional position, knowledge and skills of nurses in order to achieve 21st century health goals and to increase their effectiveness in health services in this way."

It is aimed to increase the effectiveness of the nursing profession

Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan stated that the Turkish Nurses Association, the national nursing organization, has some demands in order to strengthen the position of nursing in our country and to take a more active role in the provision of health services, and listed these demands as follows

"1. Preservation of the title of "Nurse" guaranteed by the Nursing Law No. 6283, implementation of the Nursing Regulation that guarantees the scope of nursing practice, management of nursing services by nurses, making the personal and retirement rights of nurses suitable for a decent life,

2. Allocation of specialty positions based on nursing specialty diplomas approved by the Ministry of Health in accordance with Article 8 of the Nursing Law,

3. Discontinuation of teaching in the nurse assistant departments of health vocational high schools,

Must be Public Health Nurses

4. To work in Family Health Centers not as family health workers but as "Public Health Nurses" within a system that will protect and promote public health, to eliminate subcontractor and precarious working conditions, not to authorize other health professions to practice nursing, not to call nurses "auxiliary health personnel", "non-physician health personnel", "other health personnel".

The International Council of Nurses also announced its goals

Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan stated that the nursing profession has demands in the world and listed the goals that the International Council of Nurses would like to see achieved by the end of 2020 as follows

1. "More investment in the education of the profession, professional development, professional standards, legislation related to the profession and the improvement of the conditions for the recruitment and employment of professionals.
2. Improvements have been made to make the practice of the nursing profession more effective and open to renewal, and this form of practice has become widespread.
3. The influence of nurses and midwives in the formulation and implementation of national and global health policies has been increased, and efforts to involve the health workforce in decision-making processes have been further expanded.
4. More nurses in leadership positions and more opportunities for development for staff at all levels of service.
5. Data has been provided to policy makers and decision makers to enable them to formulate the right policies and make the right decisions about where nursing can be most effective and the obstacles and reasons for nurses to fully utilize their potential / power."

Nursing profession should be strengthened for the development of health services

Prof. Dr. Selma Doğan emphasized the need for knowledge, skills and legally empowered nursing services in the development of health services in societies and in ensuring the right to health of the society.