International Nurse's Day 2022

Over the past four decades, Orbis has continually harnessed the power of innovation to reach new heights in the fight against avoidable blindness. Nurses have always been an important part of that story – both as our Volunteer Faculty and the people we train.

Thanks to our supporters and the innovative work of our team, Orbis was able to pivot the in-person trainings typically offered on board our iconic Flying Eye Hospital to virtual ones during the COVID-19 pandemic so that nurses and other eye care professionals could continue to learn critical skills. Since 2020, Orbis has trained eye care professionals in over three dozen countries through virtual Flying Eye Hospital projects.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges to nursing, but our incredible team never slowed down. Several Orbis nurses and staff worked together to create a new training tool that sets the gold standard for preparing ophthalmic scrub nurses and technicians for their work in the operating room; their skills are critical for ensuring positive outcomes for patients undergoing surgery. Known as the Ophthalmic Nursing Competency Assessment Rubric (ONCAR), the tool outlines the specific skills that these professionals must demonstrate to progress from novicehood to competency during their training.

"It is our hope that the ONCAR is adopted globally in the training of ophthalmic scrub nurses and technicians," said coauthor of the ONCAR and Head Nurse of Orbis's Flying Eye Hospital, Angela Purcell. "Evidence shows that well-trained ophthalmic scrub nurses play a critical role not just in preventing complications during surgery, but also in ensuring positive outcomes for patients overall. These nurses are often patients' first line of contact for understanding the procedure they are about to undergo as well as follow-up care. During lockdowns, our amazing partners stepped up to the challenge and did all they could to provide emergency eye care safely. Their creativity and determination in a time of crisis has filled us with hope."

We want to thank all of the amazing nurses, from Volunteer Faculty to those we train, for their dedication to improving the lives of their patients.