Strong Island Foundation works along side the Gold Coast Hospital Nurses to promote and facilitate nursing exchanges from Kirakira to the Gold Coast.
Nurses for Nurses is an ongoing project that provides opportunities to build capacity and strengthen the Makira Island health system by bringing local Kirakira nurses to the Gold Coast to participate in intensive visits to both the University and Robina Hospitals, to attend Nursing and Midwifery Symposiums, and also for local Gold Coast nurses to visit the Kirakira Hospital in the Solomon Islands. This exchange program offers teaching and learning experiences, while also providing basic materials and equipment to the minimally supplied 70 year old hospital at Kirakira.
DONATE NOW
ABOUT the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service and Kirakira Hospital Nursing Rotation:
2015 opened the door to nursing exchange between the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service and the remote Kirakira Hospital on Makira Island in the Solomon Islands. The island has 2 junior doctors and around 20 nurses, and is the only hospital serving Makira Island with a population of > 40,000.
In September 2015, Regina Suluki (ward nurse) and Domina Forau (midwife) came to the Gold Coast and took part in rotating/shadowing through various areas of the hospital and enjoyed some of the entertaining sites of the Gold Coast. They were also invited guests for the Nursing and Midwifery Symposium sponsored by Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH).
May 2016 saw 5 nurses from GCUH travel to Kirakira Hospital for a week of teaching, learning and immersion in the hospital and lives of the people of Makira Island. This nurse visit was met with great excitement by the Kirakira staff. The Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services (GCHHS) nurses were kept busy with work within the hospital and by accompanying local nurses on outreach to the various clinics throughout the island. These nurses thoroughly enjoyed this experience and further enriched relationships with this community that we hope to foster.
November 2016 saw John Harara (Director of Nursing) and his wife Esme travel to the Gold Coast to gain exposure to the GCHHS. During this visit John and his team were exposed to areas such as disaster management, Health Standards, advanced practice and clinical data.
Due to the success of these rotations the Gold coast Hospital and Health Service began the process of setting up a formal partnership with the Kirakira Hospital. This will see yearly exchanges of nurses between the two organisations to promote training, education, health reform and cultural awareness.
