Three nurses, one passion for serving the community
Three different people from different backgrounds share the same love for nursing.
International Nurses’ Day was celebrated last Tuesday, and amid the celebrations the GCN sat down with and spoke to three nurses from Bertha Gxowa Hospital.
The nurses the GCN spoke to ranged in age from the senior to younger generation and one is a male nurse.
Sister Shoky Ndevu, who is in charge of skills and training at Bertha Gxowa Hospital, has been a nurse for 15 years.
She said she was inspired by her neighbour, who was a nurse.
“She was a respectable figure in the community.
“She gave me hope to make a difference in people’s lives.
“She came from humble beginnings and built from that and I was inspired and knew it was possible from there,” said Shoky.
She said like any other profession, nursing has its challenges. She said she has had her fair share and has seen other nurses have them too.
“One of the challenges I have experienced in my line of work is resistance to change.
“Although nursing is dynamic, I found that most people were not open to change and did not embrace it,” said Shoky.
Even with the challenges, Shoky’s passion for her profession is still evident when she speaks about nursing.
“I love helping others and being able to nurse patients back to health.
“The reward and fulfillment I get when I have made a positive impact on others makes me happy; I love what I do,” said Shoky.
The GCN asked her how she was remaining positive and motivated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are empowered with the knowledge in order to reduce the spread of the virus.
“We must remember why we become nurses and fight to flatten the curve,” said Shoky.
She said being a nurse is a calling and not a career.
“Like many careers, you have to study and train to be a nurse.
“You must be called and have a passion.
“You must do it because you love it, not just because it is going to guarantee you a job and a salary,” said Shoky.
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The GCN asked her what her message would be to her fellow nurses who are on the frontline, fighting to flatten the curve.
“Together, we can beat Covid-19.
“Knowledge and teamwork is important, as is implementing the IPC guidelines in place.
“We ought to find new ways of dealing with new, highly transmittable diseases,” said Shoky.
Tshepiso Motaung may be new to the field of nursing, but her love for helping others is old.
“I have always had a love for helping people, especially the sick and old; this drove me to become nurse.
“I always knew there was a caring and compassionate side to my personality.
“The rewarding nature of the job, combined with the potential to enjoy stable work opportunities, also motivated me to pursue a career in nursing,” said Tshepiso
She has been a nurse for five years and said she loves every single moment of her work.
“I love being a nurse.
“I love how we are able to touch the lives of others in a meaningful way and when we restore their health there’s no greater feeling than that,” said Tshepiso.
She said as a young nurse she has to overcome challenges every day.
“I have had my fair share of challenges in the workplace.
“I have experienced bullying, especially by older subordinates who feel you are too young to be giving them directives, especially during my student days.
“I have also dealt with the generalisations of the community who say we are bad nurses even though you try hard to stand out and do right,” said Tshepiso.
She said it’s not easy to serve if you don’t have the heart.
“Don’t get involved in nursing or medicine if your heart is not channelled to being a servant 24/7.
“To serve others is a calling because you must always be willing to help,” said Tshepiso.
Qualified paramedic turned male nurse Simon Mabasa said saving lives has always been something he wanted to do.
“From a young age I wanted to work with patients.
“I trained to be a paramedic, but did not get the opportunity to work as one. I converted to nursing, which was always my dream job as working with patients is my passion,” said Simon.
He said his journey as a nurse started in 2011.
“I have enjoyed my journey so far.
“I love working with people and being able to help others,” said Simon.
He said what challenges and saddens him is the lack of appreciation for nurses.
“The community does not show appreciation for the work we do.
“They generalise. If they are treated badly by one nurse they paint all of us with one brush, even the ones who respect and serve the community with love.
“They forget we are also human,” said Simon.
He said nurses should not lose heart even in difficult times.
“Fellow nurses should soldier on, we know why we are in this profession.
“When we got into it we knew the challenges we would face, but we continue because we are servants.
“We are the Florence Nightingales of today and tomorrow,” said Simon.
These three different people, from different backgrounds, all share the same love for nursing as they continue fighting on the frontline.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Busi Vilakazi (Journalist) busiv@caxton.co.za.
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