Enter the Exceptional Nurse Campaign night run to honour nurses
The 4th annual Exceptional Nurse Campaign Night Run Series is currently taking place throughout South Africa. We're lacing up our takkies and taking part and encourage you to join in this family-friendly event in support and honour of nurses.
By taking part in the night series – besides getting out in the community and enjoying the fresh air, you will more importantly be honouring all the exceptional nurses of SA. It is also a chance to help raise awareness for the current healthcare crisis.
50% of nurses in our country are nearing retirement age and with a loss of 9,000 nurses annually due to retirement and death, there is a capacity to only train 3,500 nurses each year. The Night Run events create a healthy public platform to urge government to address the current healthcare crisis and train more nurses.
“The purpose of the night run is to raise awareness of the critical shortage of professional nurses, to promote a culture of honour and gratitude towards nurses” says Sister Teresa Basson, the brain child of this event. “Nurses are saving lives, every day, all over our nation. We can change the tide of negative media coverage by highlighting all the ‘exceptional nurses’ that help create beautiful miracles every day. Nurses not only form the backbone, but the beating heart of our Healthcare System.”
With the support of nursing colleagues, Sister Teresa started the Exceptional Nurse Campaign – TEN Campaign in 2015, after seeing the desperate situation in some of our public hospitals and community clinics. 51 million people in our country are totally dependent upon the Department of Health for the healthcare services provided through 350 Public Hospitals and approximately 3000 Community Clinics. There is currently an estimated shortage of over 30 000 professional nurses currently employed in the Government Sector, where the Patient to Nurse ratio is sometimes 25:1 – that is 25 patients to be cared for by 1 nurse!
“Fully endorsed by the Department of Health, The Exceptional Nurse Campaign is a non-government, non-political, non-profit company committed to bringing sustainable solutions to the growing health care crisis in South Africa around the shortage of professional nurse posts,” explains Sister Teresa. “We appeal to Government to drastically increase the Health Budget to enable the Department of Health to open more nursing posts and train more nurses. We need sustainable solutions. We aim to inspire and mobilise exceptional nurses to hospitals and clinics in South Africa where help is needed most, whilst at the same time promoting a culture of honour and sincere gratitude towards all nurses, nationwide.”
The 7km night route is symbolic of the 7-7 shifts worked by nurses.
Night Run to Honour Nurses – dates and provinces
10 September 2022 – Joburg (Marks Park)
17 September 2022 – Gqeberha
24 September 2022 – Pretoria
01 October 2022 – Durban
08 October 2022 – East London
To enter in a province in your area please visit www.theexceptionalnurse.co.za or follow on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheExceptionalNurseCampaign/
Get your entries in now!
