International Nurses Day 2024

Today, we celebrate the people who are at the heart of eye healthcare systems — our incredible eye nurses. Eye nurse are essential to delivering eye care, often working on the front lines running vision tests, educating patients and their families about eye health and treatment options, and assisting with all the prep work need for their appointments and surgeries.

In many areas of the Pacific, our eye nurses may be the only eye care provider available, shouldering tremendous responsibilities, often with limited resources. Despite these challenges, they do their best to provide quality eye care to their local community. This is why workforce support remains a core focus for us, ensuring our nurses feel supported and valued after completing their training and returning to their home base to provide care.

Through our Workforce Support Programme, we ensure our eye nurses have all the resources they need, including providing refresher training for clinic skills and knowledge. Our Workforce Support Manager travels to their clinic to check their set up and see how they are progressing. More than just practical support, these visits aim to show our appreciation for their work and let them know they are not alone.

Asenaca, pictured here, is an eye nurse who was supported by The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ to complete her studies at the Pacific Eye Institute in Suva, through Fiji National University. After graduating in 2022, she returned to Tavua and set up an eye clinic in what used to be the antenatal clinic at Tavua Hospital.

Asenaca received a workforce support visit last year, during which she told us how grateful she was to receive this ongoing encouragement. "I'm happy that I've been boosted by the workforce support. For me personally, I feel that I'm part of a family and I'm not left out. They're still thinking of us." This sentiment captures the essence of our workforce —to not only provide care but also ensure our nurses are supported and acknowledged for their vital work. Asenaca also passed on her thanks to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for funding this visit.

Thank you again to all our eye nurses. We a deeply grateful for your dedication to eye health and the communities you serve.