Damion Mitchell, News Coordinator - Radio

The Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ) says it will be fighting any further attempts by school administrators to hire practical nurses in schools instead of registered nurses. The NAJ, which represents registered nurses, is insisting that practical nurses are not qualified to work as school nurses, and president Edith Allwood-Anderson says her association will be taking the matter to the Nursing Council of Jamaica and the Education Ministry.

"The ignorance on the part of the practical nurses is blinding their eyes," she said.

The issue was first raised at a recent Gleaner Editors' Forum.

Yesterday, the Practical Nurses Association of Jamaica said the NAJ was discriminating against its members. Second vice-president Roslyn Stewart told The Gleaner-/Power 106 News that her members were competent enough to work in schools.

Give panadol

"What does a registered nurse do at a school that a practical nurse cannot do?" she questioned. "The nurses at the schools mainly give panadol (tablets). You have a headache you get two panadol, yuh have a bellyache you get two panadol; yuh foot hurt you, yuh get two panadol. Are you telling me that a practical nurse cannot do that?"

These comments have further incensed Mrs. Allwood-Anderson.

"You can give a child panadol and the child collapses and dies immediately," she said. "You must do the proper assessments and interventions."

The NAJ president said the education code stipulates that only registered nurses should be employed in schools. The Jamaica Teachers' Association has said many administrators were forced to employ practical nurses instead of registered nurses, because many registered nurses do not want to work in the school system.

damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com