Angeliki Tapakoude Head of Nursing Services Ministry of Health, Cyprus

1. Nursing Services in Cyprus Present and Future Challenges Angeliki Tapakoude Headof Nursing Services Ministry of Health, Cyprus

2. Outline of Presentation • Basic Principles of Nursing Care in Cyprus • Landmarks of Nursing in Cyprus • Principal Aim of Nursing Services in Cyprus • Areas of Nursing Care • Framework of PHC Nursing in Cyprus • Basic principles of PHC in Cyprus • Areas of Nursing in PHC • Planning and Development of Nursing Personnel • Strategy for safe staffing • Future goals of Nursing Services • Next steps

3. Basic Principles of Nursing in Cyprus • Dedication to care • Respect of Human Rights • Tackling inequalities in health • Collaborative work

4. Landmarks of Nursing Development in Cyprus • 1988 – Amendment of Nursing and Midwifery Law (Law, no 2.14/88)

5. Landmarks of Nursing Development in Cyprus • 2003 – Establishment of Nursing Division (Law No.62(11)2003)

6. Landmarks of Nursing Development in Cyprus • 2004 Introduction of Nursing Science into the established Technological University of Cyprus • 2007 First Nursing Students • Upgrading of nursing diplomas to university degree

7. Principal aim of Nursing Services in Cyprus Development and Implementation of Nursing and General Policy for Health that respond to the real health needs of the population within the social framework of today

8. Areas of Nursing Care • Specialisations: • Community Nursing • Midwifery • Intensive Care • Nursing of theatre • Mental Health Nursing • Emergency Pre-hospital Care • Nursing Administration

9. Framework of PHC Nursing in Cyprus “Primary health care seeks to extend the first level of the health system from sick care to the development of health…. Primary health care services involve continuity of care, health promotion and education, integration of prevention with sick care, a concern for population as well as individual health, community involvement and the use of appropriate technology” (Alma-Ata 1978)

10. Basic principles of PHC in Cyprus • Fair and equitable accessible to health care services • Inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary collaboration with equality of all health care team members • Disease and injury prevention, health protection and health promotion • Public participation in community development

11. Areas of Nursing in PHC • Maternal and Child Welfare Centres • School Nursing • Nursing in Primary Health Care Centres • Home Nursing • Child and adolescentcommunity mental health nursing • Community mental health nursing • Prison Nursing • Nursing of vulnerable groups of the population.

12. What is safe staffing? “Safe staffing means that an appropriate number of staff, with a suitable mix of skill levels, is available at all times to ensure that patient care needs are met and that hazard-free working conditions are maintained”

13. Strategy for Safe Staffing in Cyprus • Improvement of working conditions • Upgrade of nursing education to university level • Implementation of the international practice in relation to safe staffing ratios • Better utilization of human resources • Adoption of the necessary measures for the clarification /consolidation of the nursing role • Adoption of the θεσμού of the «Ward Assistant»

14. Cyprus ... It is pioneer against a lot of other countries in the effective confrontation of the problem of safe staffing and nursing shortage. It is one of few countries that it has achieved that the majority (> 98% ) of nurses employed in the Public sector, fulfill the qualifications required by the EU Directives.

15. Future goals of Nursing in Cyprus • Leadership development • Best possible practice in all areas of nursing • Expansion of specialised interventions

16. Next steps • Home nursing services to be expanded to cover the whole country • Home nursing services for mechanical respiratory support to be implemented in all districts • Establishment of the concept of “Liaison Nursing Counselor” in all big hospitals • Home visits to all families with newborns • Continue providing services based on special needs of vulnerable groups of population such as children, elderly, mental patients, migrants,etc.

18. Thank You