NURSING is one of the most underrated careers in the medical field, said Indeera Ramphal, the nursing manager at the Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre. This comes as the world celebrates International Nurses’ Day on 12 May.
“Many people seem to think it is all about cleaning bed pans, but that is not true. Nurses regularly risk their lives to treat patients and save lives. These dedicated men and women play a key role in welfare and recovery of patients. It is not a job for everyone. One has to have a vocation and a true passion for caring,” she said.
The long hours and dangers, such as contracting tuberculosis (TB) or blood-borne diseases such as ebola, have also forced many qualified nurses to seek other forms of employment, she added.
“There is a scarcity in specialised skilled nurses in South Africa. Those who have ICU, educational or theatre training, for example, are often attracted by international markets, other professions or even the private industry,” said Ramphal.
However, Gugu Ngwenya has been in the nursing field since 1986.
Ngwenya, who is now a deputy nursing manager at the hospital, said she has found her career extremely rewarding.
“There is no greater joy than saving a life. One that particularly stands out for me was a woman who had been involved in a hit-and-run accident. She had suffered so many injuries and had gone into septic shock. Everyone else had given up on her, but I was determined that she would survive. She was stuck on a ventilator for three months, and when we finally weaned her off she immediately called for me, and could not stop thanking me for fighting for her. I never, ever want to give up on my patients,” she said.
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