The president of the College of Nursing of Las Palmas, who also chairs the Canarian Council of Colleges of Nursing, held a telephone conversation with the president of the Government of Canarias to thank him for the decision to grant this distinction. The collegiate organization views this award as a tribute to the daily efforts of those who care for the health and well-being of the population.
“"The granting of the Gold Medal of Canarias to the two colleges of nursing in Canarias represents an unprecedented institutional recognition of the work carried out by nurses in the archipelago."
Nursing is the most numerous health profession in Canarias, with over 16,000 university-trained professionals forming a crucial pillar of the healthcare system. The quality of Canarian nursing is remarkable, with more than 3,000 specialized nurses and another 3,000 holding postgraduate, master's, or doctoral degrees.
As an autonomous profession, nurses are dedicated to caring for people throughout their lives, adapting to their needs at every moment. Faced with challenges such as an aging population, an increase in chronic pathologies, and phenomena like unwanted loneliness, Canarian nursing, younger and more numerous than the national average, has become a key asset. Their role was critical during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading the system's response.
The Government of Canarias itself has justified the awarding of the Gold Medals by highlighting that the colleges of nursing in Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife work daily to ensure ethics, continuous training, and professional rigor among their members. They represent the professionalism and humanity of those who, in times of adversity, have served as a shield of social and health protection for the citizens of Canarias.
