WATCH: Local hospitals honour nurses on International Nurses Day
Nurses were recognised by their peers for epitomising quality and compassion in their daily work.
In commemoration of International Nurses Day, various hospitals in Benoni (May 12) spared a few minutes in their busy schedule to recognise and honour nurses for their unwavering contributions.
International Nurses Day is commemorated annually on May 12 to recognise the crucial role nurses play in the health sector.
The City Times visited several hospitals to take pictures of nurses on their special day.
Sunshine Hospital
Hospital CEO Etienne Keyser, accompanied by nursing services manager Welma van Jaarsveldt, surprised nurses with mouth-watering cupcakes, sweets and other treats. Nurses were also given medical kits to help them in their line of work.
All the departments at the hospital sported lit candles and nurses recited their nurse’s pledge.
One of the nurses Cynthia Shenge, who has 10 years of experience, said she feels proud to be a nurse because she plays an important role in the lives of patients.
Netcare Linmed
The 380 nursing contingent at Netcare Linmed, were reminded their ‘inner smiles’ continued to be why patients feel safe and cared for in their presence.
The nursing staff at the hospital celebrated International Nurses Day by leaving their ‘mark’ on the hospital. Colourful handprints with inspirational quotes, motivated each nurse to decorate the staff canteen.
Hospital manager Linda Bossert applauded each healthcare professional for their unwavering dedication to their vocation.
“Your inner smile, the flame that guides you during every shift, is an inspiration to everyone,” she said.
“May this virtue continue to serve you and you selflessly serve others.
Life The Glynnwood
To mark International Nurses Day, Life The Glynnwood hospital hosted the 2022 Great 100 Nurses awards ceremony to honour nurses who have demonstrated professionalism and made a difference in their patients’ lives.
Sisters Cherie Ascencao, Phumzile Nkosi and Thembela Sigagayi were recognised by their peers for epitomising quality and compassion in their daily work.
The Great 100 Nurses initiative was launched in 2012 by Life Healthcare South Africa to honour nurses “who have made a significant difference to the profession of nursing and in the lives of patients, peers, students and the community”.
The event began with a lamp-lighting ceremony in honour of Florence Nightingale. The hospital’s manager, Hendrik Swartz, thanked the nurses for being great ambassadors of the hospital.
“Nursing is a profession that is often taken for granted. Yet it is of the most important roles in any community.“The duties you are required to fulfil are not just looking after the life of a patient. You are also required to anticipate the physical and emotional needs, family demands and doctor requirements long before anyone has spoken to you.
“At the same time, you are expected to maintain a friendly and caring demeanour irrespective of what’s going on in your personal life.”
“You are the one who touches lives daily, much more than you realise. The character of a nurse is as important as the knowledge they possess. “You warm the hearts of many mainly with hearts and compassion.”
The nursing fraternity played a crucial role during Covid-19 with nurses on the frontline. Sister Sophie Sibisi, the hospital’s nurses’ manager, thanked the nurses for going beyond the call of duty and putting their patients first.
“We dedicated our specialised ICU to looking after critically ill patients. We were at 100% occupancy for the second, third and fourth waves of the pandemic.
“Through the nurses’ hard work and dedication, we had good outcomes. More than 80% of our patients were treated successfully,” she said.
Sibisi said that this success rate is a result of a joint effort between the different units in the hospital.
“We didn’t lose a lot of patients. This was through the hard work of nurses who made sure they complied with infection-prevention protocols and infection-bundle compliance which focused on preventing ventilator-associated cases of pneumonia, surgical side-infections and catheter-related infections.”
She added that the hospital did not lose any nurses to Covid. She urged the nurses to continue educating the public.
“Nurses are leaders. We should continue making our voices heard. We do that by making sure that we educate and support the patients and the broader public. Our patients must feel that we will always be there for them and their families.”
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