World Nurse Day – Interview with Fabio D’Agostino, Director of the Nursing Degree Course

On 12 May, every year, International Nurses Day is celebrated all over the world to remember, in particular, that “nursing is not simply technical, but a knowledge that involves soul, mind and imagination” (Florence Nightingale).

The nurse constantly places the patient at the center of care, a value shared by UniCamillus, International Medical University of Rome, which within its wide training offer, provides the Degree Course in Nursing, the 1st level Online Master in Management for the coordination functions in the Health Professions area and the 1st level Online Master in Nursing in the critical area.

This is an anniversary therefore that, at this moment, takes on an even more important meaning given the ongoing pandemic caused by the Coronavirus where nurses have proven to be, in all respects, a supporting column and an essential conducting thread between the patient, family and medical staff.

Fabio D’Agostino, Didactic Director of the Degree Course in Nursing at UniCamillus, explains to us through the following interview, the extreme care that professional nurses dedicate to their work, day and night.

Why is it important to dedicate an International Day to the figure of the Nurse?
International Nurse Day is celebrated on the day of the birth of Florence Nightingale (Florence, May 12, 1820), recognized as the founder of modern nursing. In particular, the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale is also celebrated this year and 2020 has been declared by the World Health Organization as the World Year of Nurses.
This day is very important for the development of the profession and for continuing to keep nursing up to date with contemporary quality standards. In fact, it allows nurses around the world to discuss issues related to achieving the goals of nursing practice.

How has the role of the Nurse changed compared to the past?
Compared to the past, the nurse is currently considered to be one of the most important health players. In fact, the nurse is the health professional who promotes health, does disease prevention and assists individuals of all ages, healthy or ill, in the various places of care. In addition, the nurse is a university-trained healthcare professional (previously there were regional nursing schools), the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, the Master’s Degree in Nursing, 1st and 2nd level Specialization Masters in different areas (e.g. area criticism, skin lesions, management, family nurses, palliative care, just to name a few) plus a PhD to pursue a university career as a researcher / professor.

What is the role of the nurse at the time of Covid-19?
Nurses have always had crucial front-line roles in pandemics throughout history and today face a new battle against COVID-19. Today and always, nurses work in hospitals and on the territory, often with grueling shifts, putting themselves even in risky situations to take care of people. It is a profession in continuous evolution and expansion and, the COVID-19 emergency, has particularly given visibility to the profession, recognizing the nurse as the professional who has the responsibility of taking care, relating, educating, preventing complications and meeting needs of the patient at all levels of severity. Finally, at this time when relatives’ visits to hospitals are very limited, the patient perceives even more that he can totally rely on the nurse who also represents the bridge that connects the patient to his family.