Florence Nightingale’s legacy has influenced many peoples view regarding nursing and the nurses’ perception of the millennium goals. I am one of those greatly intrigued in terms of insight and perception. The eight millennium goals developed by the world leaders in the U.N reflect on the noble work of Florence Nightingale. It is amazing how she could have visualized about the solution to many problems that are even haunting us today, back then. She must have been very visionary (Wagstaff, 2004).
Her concern about taking the practice of nursing to a whole different level was a great idea. The idea that nursing should not be trained in schools but also learned stood as milestone for today’s nursing teaching as an independent course with its specialty. This lady campaigned for the increased training in the number of nurses in the community which solved many problems and saved lives. This is also reflected in today’s millennium goals as the increase of nurses would increase the task force and hence help to reduce child mortality (In Kreitzer, 2014). It would also enhance maternal health care by reducing the number of mothers per nurse.
Nightingale toiled to improve the lifestyle of people. She worked toward creating awareness and demanded for legislative measures that would help improve the people’s lifestyle. This had great impact on improving their health. It brings a perspective that nurses have a role to play in the improvement of people’s lifestyle. This is by pressurizing for legislations that would help in addressing the issues of hunger, poverty, and education to be put in place (Wagstaff, 2004). Just as Nightingale they should work towards women empowerment, gender equality and environmental sustainability.
On this regard I intend to advance several millennium goals. For instance, I will work on achieving gender equality and empowering women (Wagstaff, 2004). I will achieve this by organizing campaign against issues that affect most women in the society for instance, sexual harassment, domestic violence & male chauvinism. I would also lobby for the organization of educative forums about the right of women for the affected female patients and counselling sessions in my place of work.
Additionally, I will work toward the improvement of maternal health and combating of HIV/AIDS. I would do this by holding educative forums with the affected groups. I will teach them about protection against infection and prevention of transmission to the fetus for pregnant women or child for lactating mothers. I will also educate women on matters pertaining reproductive health and nutrition for the family (Wagstaff, 2004).
The third goal I would work on is reduction of child mortality rate. I would ensure access to adequate prenatal care for pregnant women. I also intend to teach them on ways to keep the unborn safe by feeding well, and things they should not do when pregnant e.g. avoiding some over the counter medication. I would also advice on drug abuse. I would also educate the public on matters relating to sanitation and hygiene (In Kreitzer, 2014). I would also ensure that there are enough nurses to handle such patient in the hospital.
Community nurses should collectively campaign for legislations that favor the improvement of quality of life for the needy to be put in place. This would positively impact their health by reducing incidences of infectious diseases. They should also play role in research and in collection of data about diseases. This would help in monitoring the disease progression amongst the public, raising alarm and hence giving chance for timely intervention (In Kreitzer, 2014).
Reference:
Kreitzer, M. J., & Koithan, M., (2014), Integrative nursing, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Wagstaff, A., & Claeson, M., (2004), The millennium development goals for health: Rising to the challenges, Washington DC, World Bank.
