Honouring nurses for International Nurses Day
Nurses were honoured for their hard work at Tambo Memorial Hospital.
The Boksburg Advertiser visited Tambo Memorial Hospital the day before International Nurses Day (May 12) to chat with nurses who have been in the profession for over a decade.
The nurses at Tambo said they all loved their jobs of saving lives every day.
Mavis Malekane has been nursing for the past three decades and is now a deputy director. She started working at Tambo as a student nurse and worked her way up the ladder.
“As a caring person who loves helping others, I made nursing my first choice for a career, and throughout the past 30 years, it helped me fulfil my passion for caring for others,” said Malekane.
She said a highlight of her career was working in the trauma unit, where she gained most of her experience.
“Seeing people who came into the hospital severely injured leave the facility in a better state was the most memorable and rewarding moment for me.”
Sharing some advice to young, aspiring nurses, Malekane said: “In this profession, you need to have the inherence of humanity and understand that being a nurse is doing God’s work. You are saving lives.”
Meanwhile, Victoria Mokoena, now the operational manager, has served at Tambo for 30 years after starting as an auxiliary nurse.
Mokoena said she was motivated to become a nurse when she lost her mother in an accident.
“When we arrived at the hospital, we were told there was a shortage of nurses to attend to patients. At the time, I thought to myself, maybe if I became a nurse, more lives would not be lost because of the shortage of nurses.”
She pointed out that she balances her family and work responsibilities without compromising on any of her roles.
She hopes she is an example to motivate others, particularly youngsters, that you can be a pillar at home and your workplace.
Mukondeleli Mashamba is an assistant nursing manager. She served as a nurse in Carletonville from 2003 before being transferred to Tambo five years later.
“I always wanted to become a doctor, but I couldn’t fulfil that dream because of financial constraints.
“I am passionate about helping people in my community, and I thought to myself that nursing is not so different from being a doctor, so I took this path,” said Mashamba.
She said working in the trauma section gave her the legitimate feeling of being a lifesaver.
“For me, our working schedule, particularly the night shift, allows us to balance our family and work responsibilities because you get enough time to spend with your family.”
The CEO of Tambo Memorial Hospital, Zenzo Ndabula, said: “I would like the nurses to wake up every morning being grateful for the privilege and the blessing of having been called and chosen to care.
“I would wish them to see their rewards in the faces of those whose lives they have touched.
“Nursing is a noble profession. We greatly appreciate their acts of kindness to patients and colleagues every day.”
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