‘FMCI Nurses Care Is a Brand Name’- Fr Richard Coelho during Launch of ‘Nurses Week 2019’
‘Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI) Nurses Care Is a Brand Name’- Fr Richard Coelho-the Director of FMCI during Launch of ‘Nurses Week 2019’ on Tuesday, 7 May 2019
Mangaluru : Quoting “The Lady With A Lamp” Florence Nightingale, where she said, “No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this – ‘devoted and obedient’. I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse. I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results. The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm. To understand God’s thoughts one must study statistics… the measure of his purpose. There is no part of my life, upon which I can look back without pain.”-you can say that “Nurses are no doubt the “Angles of Mercy”!
Yes, there are Nurses just for Name’s Sake, and there are Nurses who have earned NAME & FAME; There are Nurses who speak ONLY ONE language of “God’s Own Country’ at other hospitals, and then there are nurses who speak quite a few languages of “Land of Sandalwood/Land of Gold”; There are nurses who are careless and useless, while there are nurses who are good caretakers, courteous and determined”- and for that matter, the “Angels of Mercy “of Father Muller Hospital belong to the latter group! And these FMCI Nurses are truly the hospitality of the hospital, who definitely lead very demanding lives, working with doctors, healing patients and educating the communities, which are just a few of the responsibilities they perform on a daily basis.
In fact you could say that these nurses here at the prestigious Health Care Institution started by Father Augustus Muller are the backbone of the health care care system, providing the patients with the attention and medical care that they need to live health long-lasting lives. Sometimes being a nurse can be exhausting at times, but the knowledge and power to help heal others is what keeps them going in challenging times. And while nurses are strong spirited, positive and focused even they need a little pick me up every once in a while – like complimenting them for their well-done job or appreciating their dedication and commitment to patients and health-care.
And one Charitable Catholic Institution in the “Rome of the East” Mangaluru which is producing the best and the professionals in the field of Nursing to serve locally, Nationally and Internationally, is none other than Fr Muller Nursing Institution- and there is no doubt about it. Quoting the beginning lyrics from the Fr Muller Institution Anthem : “We Come to Comfort and to Heal, to Love and Serve in Woe and Weal “- these words truly fit and describe the prospective nurses and staff/registered nurses of this great Institution, who early this morning {Tuesday 7 May} at 7.15 am launched the beginning of “Nurses Week 2019”, inaugurated at the Fr Muller Asha Kiran grounds.
After invoking the blessings of the Almighty by a group of nurses, Ms Deena Semento-Assistant Nursing Superintendent welcomed the gathering. The inaugural ceremony began with lighting the Nightingale lamp by Rev. Fr Richard Coelho-Director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions. The Chief Guest for the occasion Dr Manjunath Kulakarni- Head of Nephrology Department at Fr Muller Hospital unveiled the plaque bearing the theme of the International Nurses Day 2019: Nurses: A Voice to Lead: Health For All’. Addressing the gathering, chief guest Dr Kulakarni said, ” Nursing is the most honest and ethical profession. Nurses are committed to Protecting, Promoting and Improving Health Care of all the people. And all these qualities are found in the Nurses of Fr Muller Hospital, and I say that because working at all other hospitals prior to joining here in June 2013, I have never seen the dedication, commitment and care towards the patients like I saw at Fr Muller Hospital”
Dr Kulakarni further said, “What mostly impressed me about FMCI nurses is their attitude and respect towards others, addressing elders as Uncles or Aunties making them look special, for which I applaud them. These nurses are the most trusted professionals in the Health Care. They are the Teachers, Advocates, Care Givers, Critical Thinkers and Innovators, and they are the Heart and Soul of a Health care System. The most important benefit to be Nurse is ‘Mental Satisfaction’ in serving the sick. My sincere appeal to the young nursing fraternity is to uplift and nurture the ethos of Florence Nightingale and become Nightingales of the 21st Century by serving the sick with smiling faces. You are all amazing who continue doing your good work, and I say to you, Keep up the good work that you all entrusted with, and may God bless you all. I end with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi-“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.
Also addressing the nurses, Fr Richard Coelho said, ” Nurses are as angels from heaven, and they are very close to God, you can refer them as Goddesses. When the patient recovers it is not just through treatment and medicines, but through the love and care of the Nurses. Father Muller Hospital nurses care is a brand name, and nurses who got trained and worked here get the first preference at any health care institutions, without any in depth interviews or other credentials- their 100% employment is only because they came from Father Muller Institution. Nurses should consider Florence Nightingale as their role model in their duties in serving the sick. Don’t look for money, instead have a service oriented mind and determination towards the patients. Yes, nursing sometimes is a not a easy job due to lots of stress and pressure from doctors and patients, but you need to cope up with it with patience and work forward.”
“More than a noble profession, Nursing is a Ministry. Those who have become nurses never regret, and you too will never regret about your career, which is a good earning profession, here in India and mostly abroad. Be happy with your profession, and serve the community with dedication, commitment and Care. Your service to the Society will bring smile on the faces of Patients. Nurses have the capacity to become the voice of the patient. When nurses come to the ward, the patient feels happy because they see God in the Nurses and the patient and his/her family starts respecting the nurse. Do service with smile, and do service with empathy. While feeling proud of your services and dedication that you are all at the helm, may your service continue with zeal and enthusiasm in future too” added Fr Coelho.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Staff Nurse Eliza Monteiro , while the programme was compered by Staff Nurse viola Pereira. Bevy of priests from the FMCI administration namely Fr Rudolph D’sa, Fr Ajith Menezes and Fr Nelson Pais; Sr Jacintha D’souza- Principal-Fr Muller College of Nursing; Sr Janet D’souza- Chief Nursing Officer, Sr Ellen Marie- Nursing Superintendent; Ms Darryl M Aranha- Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, were among those who graced the occasion. Ms Helen Lobo- Assistant Nursing Superintendent presented a memento to the chief guest. The inaugural function ended with the FMCI anthem, followed with distribution of delicious “Ladoos”, and a group photo of Nurses who were present, among the nearly 1000 Nursing fraternity at FMMC hospital.
In conclusion, quoting Florence Nightingale, “Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God’s spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts”. Long Live the Nurses- the Angels of Mercy!
I end this column with the International Nurses Day Theme ” Nurses: A Voice to Lead: Health For All’ on Youtube :
