Covid-19: A day in the life of an uMhlanga nurse

IT has been almost a year since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in South Africa. While the nation-wide lockdown has drastically impacted the lives of many locals, few have been tested to the same limits as the healthcare workers, fighting the virus from the frontline.

The Northglen News recently checked in with nursing manager at Netcare uMhlanga Hospital, Belinda Lehnerdt to find out more about a day in the life of a healthcare worker. Lenherdt is an ICU trained sister. In her management role, she is responsible for overseeing all of the nurses and the quality of care within the hospital.

1. How do your current working hours compare to pre-Covid-19? 

My working hours have definitely increased over both waves. During the first wave this was due to us setting up processes to create the safest possible environment for all staff and patients. There were many pathways that we had to implement as the virus was something new and we received new information each day. We had to change processes and adapt as new discoveries were made. The long hours during the second wave have been due to the increase in patient numbers and the general demands of keeping staff and patients safe.

2. Have you needed to quarantine and has it been difficult being away from friends and family?

I have quarantined myself from family and friends since the beginning of March 2020. I have only seen few selected family and friends over the last year. I visit them with my own camping chair and sit outside maintaining social distancing. This is to keep my loved ones and myself safe. I have to also be careful as I need to keep myself safe in order to help keep the 500 people who work at Netcare uMhlanga Hospital safe.

Also read: Greenwood Park nurses shine in pandemic

3. Do you feel the pandemic has taken a toll on you personally?

It has been a very challenging time for my boys and I. I am blessed to love what I do each day but I do love my family and friends and have missed seeing and being close to them. I had to send my boys away as I couldn’t take care of them due to the demands of the pandemic. It can be very lonely for us all. It is a very difficult time right now as my leadership role during this time requires me to give of myself at all times. It is a huge responsibility to keep staff and patients safe.

4. As a healthcare practitioner, have you ever faced a challenge like this before? What are some of the unexpected challenges Covid has presented to you?

I have never experienced anything of this nature or magnitude, or imagined this was actually possible. There have been numerous challenges that I have had to overcome. One major one was the screening process and limiting visiting in order to help keep patients and staff safe. We had to educate the staff, community and doctors regarding the screening and the need thereof. This was well accepted once everyone understood why it was necessary. Empowering and reassuring our staff was another challenge that we had to face. As I am sure you can imagine staff were initially very fearful as the virus was new and new information was constantly emerging. We overcame this by clear and frequent communication to all staff and heads of departments. We ensured we were present and hands-on to reassure staff. We ensured that staff were well informed and received daily training in order to keep abreast of changing processes and to keep safe. We sent daily messages to staff to motivate them and acknowledge their good work and convey our appreciation.

Also read: Covid-19 infections rise among Durban healthcare workers

5. Are hospitals struggling to cope with the influx of Covid-19 patients?

It was an adjustment as the demand for beds and oxygen was escalating daily, and we had to create more Covid zones where positive patients and those under investigation could be safely cared for. Netcare was, however, very proactive in procuring the required lifesaving equipment. We had the best team with our technical support staff and Netcare 911 always assisting with any patients needing to be transferred between hospitals.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting

Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.  

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