Nurse Naomi honored for Nurses’ Week

In small intimate ceremony, nurses of the Saba Health Care Foundation celebrated Nurses’ Week and honored Head Nurse Naomi Wilson, at the hospital. At the well-attended ceremony was the Commissioner of Health Bruce Zagers; Director of SHCF, Dr. Joka Blaauboer and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the SHCF, Mr. Sidney Sorton.

The ceremony was opened by Dr. Joka Blaauboer, after which there was a prayer to bless those that are in the nursing profession by pastor Vernon Liburd. Dr. Gina Boorsman, one of the general practitioners at the hospital, gave a keynote speech to the nurses. She compared the differences between a good nurse, a better nurse and a nurse leading the way and explained that everyone should strive to be like the nurse leading the way.

Commissioner Zagers also gave a speech thanking the nurses for the job they do for the people of Saba. In a surprise presentation, Nurse Naomi Wilson was honored for her years of service. In his speech the commissioner said that Nurse Naomi, as she is known on the island, “has gone above and beyond a job description.” He also commended her on her service to the profession and her “passion is second to none and that we are truly grateful for the many sacrifices you have made over the years.”

As a token of her years of service, the Head Nurse was presented a collage of photos documenting her work at the hospital from the SHCF, and a gift from the Island Government. She was also presented a story written by a young patient, who expressed how well he was taken care of by Nurse Wilson.

In accepting her gifts, Nurse Naomi told the nurses that it was her mother that told her when she was leaving the island to study nursing on Aruba that she should always treat people the way she would want to be treated. She also said that for her helping people comes naturally, even to the point where persons visit her home at times to have their blood pressure taken and ask for advice.

GIS Saba May 15, 2014