The award accords worldwide recognition of the recipient’s achievements and contribution to nursing internationally
Dr Subadhra Devi Rai, a nurse and senior lecturer at the School of Health Sciences (Nursing) at Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore, has received the International Achievement Award 2015 bestowed by The International Council of Nurses’ (ICN) Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF).
The ICN is a federation of more than 130 national nurses associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
The award is given every two years to a practicing nurse with at least 10 years of nursing experience in one of the following domains of nursing: direct care, education, management or research. The award accords worldwide recognition of the recipient’s achievements and contribution to nursing internationally.
The Indian-origin nurse, Dr Rai’s career began in Singapore where she worked in an intensive care unit following her general nursing training. She continued her education in Canada where she also worked as a researcher at the Edmonton Centre for Survivors of Torture and Trauma. In 2005, she became a women’s health coordinator at Women’s Education for Advancement and Empowerment (WEAVE) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In 2014, Dr Rai received a grant for a project on the health of repatriated refugees from the Thai-Myanmar border back to Myanmar. She volunteered with AWARE SAB in Singapore where she offered support to and advocates for victims of sexual assault. Dr Rai holds a PhD in Population Health from the University of Alberta.
“Subadhra Rai has shown dedication in providing nursing care to vulnerable populations since the beginning of her career,” said Judith Shamian, President of the International Council of Nurses and the Florence Nightingale International Foundation in a press release. “Her special focus on issues such as gender-based violence, sexual health and reintegration of refugees is particularly topical,” she added.
The International Achievement Award will be presented to Dr Rai at a special FNIF Luncheon to be held on June 21, 2015 at the ICN Conference in Seoul, Republic of South Korea.
Past recipients of the award have included Liisa Hallila, a Finnish nurse-entrepreneur for her work in nursing education and management; Anneli Erikkson, a Swedish nurse and President of Médecins Sans Frontières in Sweden, who worked with endangered communities during catastrophes; Carol Etherington, an American nurse working on community based programmes for people living in the aftermath of war and natural disaster; Susie Kim, a Korean nurse whose major contributions to nursing education and practice have earned her international recognition; and Margaret Hilson, a Canadian nurse working in international health programmes.