Life as a nurse, surviving Covid-19 and caring for others

Matron Pamela Naidu (41) developed her desire to help and care for others from a young age after she witnessed the selfless love her grandfather displayed.

She spoke more about why she chose the nursing profession, getting infected with Covid-19 and life as a nurse.

“My mom worked so my grandfather was the caregiver to my younger brother and I. I admired his love, perseverance and strength. “He always cared more about us than his health.

“My grandfather lived with my family for as long as I can remember. He was a chronic asthmatic and often coughed through the nights.

“I always prayed that God would heal him as he often got sick, but he would still get up the following day and make sure all our needs were met.”

Covid-19 infection

“I was unfortunately infected with Covid-19 which spread and infected my entire family at home.

“I was fighting for my life. It was the darkest and scariest time of my life.

“As nurses, we must care for patients in every situation but we are also human beings who have faced daily fears and stresses this year, specifically around putting our own families at risk of infection.”

She added she and her family had to be isolated at home, away from friends and other family members.

“The fear of uncertainty meant people were scared and this resulted in a lot of stigmatisation for those infected with the virus. I was fearful for myself, my husband and children.

“I fully understand the psychological effect that Covid-19 leaves behind on patients and their families,” said the nurse.

She added the Covid-19 pandemic affected the entire healthcare industry globally.

“We were faced with something unfamiliar, so initially this did bring some uncertainty and even anxiety for many healthcare workers.”

She said they had to manage the fast-changing and unknown situations daily, which was very challenging and unsettling.

“However, in times of crisis, strong teams and leadership play a vital role.

Having managed the surge period and lockdown this year we are well prepared for a possible second surge and will stay true to our passion for nursing if faced with similar challenges in the future,” said Pamela.

About Pamela

The nurse is a wife and mother of two.

“I have a strong personal value system around honesty and respect, and this is what I stand for, not just as a nurse but as a mother as well.”

Having worked as a nurse for 21 years, she said she is passionate about people.

“As a nurse manager, I can ensure that the patients, nurses, doctors and community members receive the best nursing care.

“I identify and correct service issues, patient and employee satisfaction through patient-focused care. I have a role in defining the continual delivery of high-quality nursing care, ensuring compliance with nursing practices and regulatory bodies.”

She added she is a young leader who enjoys mentoring her team.

“They can see that one is never too young to be a manager.”

Pamela described herself as an ambitious trendsetter.

“I am driven by women empowerment especially in the current climate. I am a professional and tend to be rigid at times.

“I motivate my nurses to set goals and achieve them through education. My personal belief is that education is a cornerstone to success.”

Outside of work, Pamela explained she is a spiritual individual and before lockdown, she was in the praise and worship team at her church.

“I spend quiet time listening to praise and worship music and recorded church services.

“During my off-duty time, I volunteer by giving home nursing care to those who can’t afford hospitalisation or post-hospitalisation. “I also support the Tears Foundation through my daughter who does fund-raising for the organisation.”

Highlights and challenges

Pamela said the highlights of her work include the humanity that comes with the job, being an integral part of lived human experiences and being a clinical catalyst of healing.

“It is the personal satisfaction and sense of victory when I can make a difference in a patient or family’s life.

“The ability to focus your knowledge of care on what is important to patients as human beings, enabling me to understand and contribute to the recovery of a patient are my highlights. The challenges of my work include the shortage of specialised nurses.

“It is a global and national challenge,” she said.

Misconceptions

“You are just a nurse. This is a misconception and stereotype about nurses. Nurses are highly skilled and educated professionals. We are decision-makers and problem solvers who take responsibility for our patients’ needs 24 hours a day until discharge.”

She said nurses are the special people who are there when you take your first breath into the world and your last breath out of the world.

“A nurse celebrates the birth of the baby and grieves a loss with loved ones. Nursing is not just a job, it’s a profession that requires specialised training and skills together with compassion and care.”

Advice to future nurses

“Nursing is a profession, but it’s also a special calling which requires care, dedication, compassion, empathy and most of all humility.

“It is knowing that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.

“You will save many lives, comfort the broken, heal the sick, console those who had lost a loved one and on the same day celebrate the birth of a new life. Most of all, you will laugh and cry tears of joy and sorrow, which is what makes a nurse different from every other person in the world,” said the matron.

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