The Nursing and Midwifery programme of the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences (PAPRSBIHS), in collaboration with the Nursing and Midwifery Student Body of Universiti Brunei Darussalam, hosted the Nurses and Midwives Retreat Day: Cultivating Self-Care, Resilience, and Team Spirit on 12 May 2025 from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM at the Main Lecture Theatre and Concourse Area, PAPRSBIHS Extension Building.
The special event commemorated the International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day, aligning with the global themes “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis” and “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for nurses strengthens economies.” It aimed to honour the invaluable contributions of nurses and midwives while fostering wellbeing, resilience, and solidarity among healthcare professionals.
Free and open to all nursing and midwifery students and professionals, the retreat welcomed over 200 participants comprising student nurses and midwives, as well as professionals from various institutions and healthcare sectors. Attendees included representatives from higher education institutions, IBTE, Politeknik Brunei, and PAPRSBIHS, as well as key healthcare organisations such as the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Defence (MinDef), Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC), JPMC College of Health Sciences (JCHS), Tamada Nursing Services, and Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.
The programme began with an inspiring sharing session by Dr. Khadizah Haji Abdul Mumin, Senior Assistant Professor in Nursing and Midwifery, titled “Caring for the Caregivers: Building Perseverance and Resilience.” A mindful deep breathing session was facilitated by Dr. Deeni Rudita Idris, Assistant Professor, offering participants an opportunity to recentre and ground themselves. This was followed by a mindfulness and poetry activity, and the event concluded with energising team-building exercises led by Dr. Sharimawati Haji Sharbini, Assistant Professor in Public Health.
The event was officiated by the Guest of Honour, Professor Kenneth Kok Yuh Yen, Dean of PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, who emphasised the significance of nurturing a resilient and supported nursing and midwifery workforce.
“We hope this retreat will be a rejuvenating space for reflection, inspiration, and connection, empowering nurses and midwives to sustain compassionate care in their professional journeys,” said Dr. Khadizah.
Rahmah Sabariah Razak, Senator of the Nursing and Midwifery Student Body, also shared her reflections: “Organising this retreat has been a heartfelt initiative. It reminded us of the power of community, the importance of checking in with ourselves, and the value of supporting one another beyond clinical roles. We hope this marks the beginning of many more nurturing spaces for our future healthcare providers.”