SHIKANDA KAWANGA, Livingstone
THE Ministry of Health should employ more male nurses in public health institutions to improve the poor image of nurses countrywide, one of Zambia’s first-trained nurse and midwife Reverend Wellington Mbulwe has advised.
Rev Mbulwe, a retired midwife said health institutions have continued to receive reports of nurses’ poor work attitude and ill treatment of patients, and that some female nurses are naturally moody.
He said more men should be encouraged to join the nursing profession as they are considered less temperamental and this would also reduce on complaints by patients.
Rev Mbulwe alleged that even a survey with most people would reveal that male nurses are better health care providers as they are more tolerant of the behaviour of patients.
He said most of patients attended to by male nurses tend to appreciate the service compared to those attended to by female nurses.
“Health bodies should come on board to advocate for the recruitment and training of more male nurses just like other organisations are advocating for more females to join politics,” he said.