New wave of specialist nurses urged to strengthen healthcare

The Caribbean has added 43 newly qualified specialist nurses to its healthcare ranks, with leaders urging them to uphold excellence, compassion and resilience as they enter service across the nation and the wider region.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) at Cave Hill hosted its Nurses’ Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, celebrating graduates in paediatric nursing, nursing education and nursing administration, many of whom are already serving on the frontlines at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, district and geriatric hospitals, community clinics, the Barbados Community College, and regional institutions in St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Bahamas.

This year, 13 students graduated with the Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatric Nursing from the class of 2023, 15 from the class of 2024, and four from the class of 2025. One graduate completed the Master of Science in Nursing in 2023, with two more graduating in 2024. From St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, six students received the MSc in Nursing in 2024, and two more in 2025. 

Nneka Lewis-Burnett collecting her pin
from Dr Cave.

Minister of Training and Tertiary Education Sandra Husbands praised their dedication: “You now present yourselves as a cadre of qualified professionals who can help us to continue to build strength in our nursing profession and ensure that these nations in this Caribbean have an adequate supply of nursing staff that can offer the health care that is so desperately needed in this region.”

She commended nurses for their sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that while many were safe at home, “there were those of you who had to put at risk yourself and your family to ensure that the rest of us were healthy”.

Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences Dr Damian Cohall told graduates that the pinning ceremony was a symbolic reaffirmation of their values. He said: “The impetus behind starting this programme was to address a void that was being developed, not only locally but regionally.”

Kerri Maynard collecting her pin from Dr Cave.
(Photos by Sheria Brathwaite)

Highlighting the Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatric Nursing, created in 2021 in partnership with the Shaw Centre for Paediatric Excellence and SickKids Toronto, Dr Cohall said more than 40 nurses had already been trained. He urged graduates to “continue to be grounded in your pursuit of academic excellence”, to “serve with purpose”, and to embrace lifelong learning.

Graduates were reminded that their pins symbolise not just academic achievement but their commitment to care, compassion and professional excellence.

Keri-Ann Pope was recognised as the most outstanding Paediatric Nurse graduate, while Michelle Moore was named the most outstanding graduate in the Master of Science programme. (SZB)