Nursing Week, celebrated every year between May 12-18, is commemorated with various events in order to make visible the efforts and contributions of nurses, who are the cornerstone of the health system, and to draw attention to the social value of the profession. In this context, Near East University celebrated Nursing Week with the “Nursing Week Event” organized in cooperation with the Faculty of Nursing and the Department of Nursing.

The event held at the Faculty of Health Sciences Irfan Günsel Congress Center consisted of a conference supporting professional development and two panels. The program, which brought together academics, health professionals and students, drew attention to the scientific aspect and social role of nursing. The reception held at the Cyprus Car Museum following the event brought together all nurses working in the Near East Enterprises Hospitals.

The opening speeches of the program, which was carried out with intense participation, were made by Near East University Faculty of Nursing Dean Prof. Dr. Ümran Dal Yılmaz, Near East University Hospital Head Nurse Pervin Turan, Dr. Suat Günsel Girne University Head Nurse Sema Yalçınkaya and Near East University Hospital Yeniboğaziçi Head Nurse Demet Yalçın Özsoylu.

Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ also attended the event and celebrated the Nursing Week. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said “Nursing is the backbone of the health system. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this meaningful event.” Drawing attention to the strong health infrastructure of Near East University in his speech, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ reminded that while the university’s hospitals provide the necessary qualified health services, it also trains the nurses of the future with its nursing faculty. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “We are building a strong bridge between education and professional life by offering employment opportunities to nurses who graduate from our faculty in our university hospitals.”

“Nursing” was discussed in every aspect

The event began with the seminar titled “2025 ICN Theme: Our Nurses Are Our Future, Care for Nurses Strengthens Economies” given by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Burcu Totur Dikmen from the Faculty of Nursing of the Near East University. The seminar addressed the economic contributions of nursing care to the healthcare system and the importance of making these contributions visible. Then, in the first panel titled “The Power of Nursing to Change the World”, Dr. Deniz Talaz conveyed the roles of nurses in creating change, the importance of care and the theoretical foundations of nursing care. Training Nurse Şenay Evren Öztaşlı emphasized the impact of quality care on patient health and the decisive role of nurses in this process in her presentation titled “The Power of the Nurse in Care: Nurses Make a Difference in Care”.

In the second panel of the event, Specialist Nurse Ayşe Korkmaz drew attention to the importance of team solidarity in the work environment in terms of both nurse well-being and service quality. Training Nurse Fatma Yılmaz explained the contributions of effective teamwork to institutional culture with the subject of “Teamwork Culture”. Finally, Dr. Nurse Berkem Korbay shared information on the causes, effects and coping strategies of burnout in her presentation titled “Burnout in Nursing”.

Reminding that May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, is celebrated as Nurses Day all over the world, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing of Near East University Prof. Dr. Ümran Dal Yılmaz said, “This special week is not only a celebration, it is also an opportunity to evaluate the present of nursing and shed light on its future.”

Stating that nursing is a profession that is performed not only with knowledge and skills but also with patience, compassion and love for people, Prof. Dr. Ümran Dal Yılmaz said, “We are not only moving forward with compassion, we are moving forward with science, discipline and ethical values.” Addressing the students in her speech, Prof. Dr. Ümran Dal Yılmaz said, “You are the future of this profession. Remember that nursing is a journey that always touches the heart of a person and carries a deep meaning. Walking this path armed with knowledge, a sense of responsibility and professional solidarity will be your greatest strength.”

We are training the nurses of the future while providing quality healthcare services!
Emphasizing that nurses are one of the most fundamental building blocks of hospitals, Near East University Hospital Head Nurse Pervin Turan said, “Nurses have an indispensable role in health services, not only with their clinical knowledge and skills, but also with their understanding and empathy for people. The person that the patient comes into contact with the most during the treatment process is often the nurse.” Stating that Near East University Hospital sees educating future health professionals as one of its priorities in addition to quality health services, Pervin Turan said, “Our Near East Enterprises hospitals work in full coordination with our Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences and Health Services Vocational School, and also educating health professionals of future.” Reminding that the nursing profession requires sacrifice and that each nurse is a hero, Dr. Suat Günsel Kyrenia University Head Nurse Sema Yalçınkaya said, “My dear colleagues, we are a big family. While our young nurses who have just joined us are inspired by us, we also draw strength from their excitement.” Emphasizing that they have to constantly improve themselves, Sema Yalçınkaya said, “The future of nursing will be shaped by the stance we show today.”

Near East University Hospital Yeniboğaziçi Head Nurse Demet Yalçın Özsoylu also stated that nurses’ workload is increasing day by day, and emphasized that they are also frequently faced with the risk of verbal and physical violence from patients or their relatives. Demet Yalçın Özsoylu said “This situation can negatively affect mental health and lead to results such as stress, anxiety, burnout, depression and decreased self-esteem. This picture, which affects not only the individual but also the general quality of patient care, causes increased errors, decreased patient satisfaction and high rates of turnover.”