Retired CNO agonise over famine in mentoring

Retired Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Ms. Linda Johnson is in anguish over the acute
shortage of mentoring in the healthcare sector by the more experienced seniors.
Johnson expressed her agony to www.aroundtheregions.com following her recent retirement
about the lack of instruction given to the next generation of nurses. She feels this dearth is badly
hurting the local nursing profession.
Johnson spent more than three decades in healthcare, retiring as the CNO. She wants deliberate
passing of the baton as was the norm in the past. She longs for the return of knowledge sharing
and voluntary giving of advice by the more experienced professionals.
Despite the breakdown over the years, the former CNO emphasised that the nursing profession
“is still one of the best” and hopes that new entrants will do so from a sense of compassion for
the ailing and not just to make money.

“I think that it’s quite compelling for me to leave a few valuable tips for young nurses in
bringing down the curtain on my 35 years of service…always prioritise! Always be on time to
avoid being unorganised as this is of primary importance,” Johnson counselled.
“It is also important that they maintain their professional integrity at all times irrespective of the
situation,” the former CNO urged
She recalled being a beneficiary of these professional tenets she is offering now when she was as
a young nurse. Johnson said these helped her become effective, efficient, disciplined, committed
and dedicated in giving service throughout her 35 years in the field.
“Leave your personal struggles out of the workplace and know your work where it belongs.
Additionally, they must remember to avoid being in workplace gossip (and) be well-apprised of
the Public Service rules and policies, that will certainly guide their practice,” she counselled.

Johnson reminded all nurses to be members of the Guyana Nurses Association (GNA) and
remember their role as ambassador of the profession.
Finally, “always seek clarity in order to protect your patient’s safety and be very efficient in
documentation. Look at your patient holistically and very importantly, listen to your patients
keenly. Further, always venture in seeking to bring clarity to patients and their loved ones. Never
lie to your patients,” Johnson reminded.