This year, IMU staff and students celebrated this year’s Nurses’ Day in two different occasions. The Nurses’ Day theme this year by International Council of Nurses (ICN) is: “Nurses: A Force for Change – A Vital Resource for Health.”
The first event was held on 15 May, in Auditorium Gemilang, Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, Seremban. It was a very pleasant and joyful celebration where IMU nursing staff and students actively participated in the event organised by the hospital’s nursing staff. The celebration started with a talk by the nursing Matron, followed by opening remarks from the hospital director, Dr Jaafar bin Che Mat. The event had eye-catching performances by nursing students from Ministry of Health and hospital staff who have shown that they also have great talents in the performing arts besides providing care for patients. At the event, the International Medical University (IMU) Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Semester 4 students presented an impressive and inspiring short video titled “Tributes to Nurses” to honor the dedication and contribution of nurses at the event . The celebration also included a cake-cutting ceremony led by the hospital director, matrons and Prof Lim Pek Hong, Head of IMU Nursing Division.
A total of 80 guests comprising IMU and IMC staff and nursing students, as well as invited guests, speakers and representatives from Pantai Group of Hospitals were at the IMC Subang Jaya campus to celebrate this meaningful day. The event started with a keynote address from Prof Lim Pek Hong, Head of Nursing Division, IMU who gave a brief introduction on the significance of Nurses’ Day and key areas of changes required in the current nursing practice. 
The recitation of Florence Nightingale’s pledge by all registered nurses and cake-cutting ceremony were included as part of the celebration. Participants of the event were also dazzled with the choral speaking performed by both IMC and IMU nursing students and video presentation. A short interactive forum addressing the Nurses’ Day theme was conducted by three invited speakers: Mr Ron Shashi Kumar Retnam, Senior Manager from Learning and Development, Ms Nurina van Oostrum Abdullah, Nurse Manager from Nursing Recruitment and Talent Development, Pantai Management Resources and A/Prof Dr Khatijah Lim Abdullah, Head of Nursing from University of Malaya. These three honorable speakers have shared their expert point of views in relation to the nursing career advancement, the need for knowledgeable professional nurses and changes in the nursing education perspective. All the speakers highlighted that nurses today need to embark on continuous professional self-development in order to be qualified as the vital resources for health. The forum was very interesting with active participation from the audiences in the interactive question and answer session.
Participants benefited greatly from the insightful and very informative presentations by the speakers. Commenting on the event, a Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Semester 4 student from IMU, Renuka a/p Balasubramaniam, said, “The forum was really inspiring and informative for us as future professional nurses as it highlighted on areas for improvement in nursing practice.” Monica Iskandar, an international student from the same cohort also commented: “I am delighted that both IMU and IMC students were able to mingle and celebrate Nurses’ Day together.” Another student, Octavius Aisan Raphael, a Diploma in Nursing Semester 2 student from IMC said that: “The forum broadened my views and I saw a bigger picture of career opportunities for a nurse in the future”.
Nurses’ Day is celebrated throughout the world on May 12 to recognise all of the valuable contributions nurses have made to the society. It is celebrated in memory of Florence Nightingale who was born on this day in 1820 and who is regarded as the founder of modern nursing.
