Final-year nursing students at the Seventh-day Adventist-operated Northern Caribbean University (NCU) recently received laptop computers and stethoscopes donated by AdventHealth during a special ceremony held in Kingston, Jamaica.

The donations, made in partnership with Andrews Memorial Hospital, are aimed at equipping the nursing students with the resources needed to complete their education, while forging a path for excellence and ensuring that the nursing workforce is prepared to tackle the challenges of the future, church leaders said. The more than 100 nursing students took part in a handover program at the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Andrew, on Sep. 5, 2024.

“I am very grateful, as I did not have a laptop,” said nursing student Tanneice Blackwood. “I had to use my phone, and it was difficult to do research and assignments. The support I have received here today means a lot, because it can help me to prepare better, as I step into the role of a future nurse”, she added.

This is the second time this year that AdventHealth has donated a batch of laptops to NCU nursing students.

Dr. Audrey Gregory, executive vice president and chief executive officer for AdventHealth, East Florida Division, said the investment by her organization, and by extension, Andrews Memorial Hospital, will go a long way toward developing the requisite nurses to add value to all Jamaicans and the world.

“The purpose of the gifts is to break the cycle of poverty through education. You have put education at a high level, and have made the best career choice,” Gregory said.

In his remarks, Everett Brown, president of the Jamaica Union and chair of NCU and Andrews Memorial Hospital boards, said the church and the entire Jamaican society will benefit from the partnership.

“Ultimately the donations have proven to be more than a partnership, but an investment in human resources,” said Brown. “We are not only training nurses but professionals who will add value to Advent Health, Andrews Memorial Hospital, and NCU,” he said.

Donmayne Gyles, chief executive officer at Andrews Memorial Hospital, said the possibilities of the partnership with AdventHealth are endless. Since the initiative was launched, the commitment of AdventHealth in the investment growth and development of the students’ future has been exponential, he said.

“We are committed as a hospital, to your training and growth in an ever-changing and evolving landscape and will continue to unlock opportunities that are valuable to your growth and ensure that you continue to excel,” Gyles said.

While expressing appreciation for the donations by AdventHealth, Lincoln Edwards, NCU president professor, implored the students to choose employers who had their best interest at heart.

“Students, as you seek to complete your studies, it is important that you seek out employers that have your best interest at heart; and are serious about your development, as we continue to do here at NCU,” said Edwards, adding, “We have an interest in your wellbeing and our partnership with AdventHealth and Andrews Memorial Hospital will ensure that you not only complete your studies, but you are prepared for your professional career in nursing.”

Northern Caribbean University, is the premier and oldest institution in the Caribbean. The nursing program commenced in 1970, and since then, the department has graduated over 1,400 nurses who have found employment locally, regionally, and internationally. Over the years, the institution has maintained an outstanding pass rate in the licensure examination (Regional Examination for Nurse Registration [RENR]) set by the Nursing Council of Jamaica (NCJ), university officials said.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division website.