How Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital nurse’s own birthing experience inspired her
Midwife Nombulelo Ntabeni encourages fellow nurses to be each others pillars in times of challenge.
It was after her own experience of giving birth that professional nurse and midwife Nombulelo Ntabeni was called to the profession. “I was not a nurse at the time, so I did not know much, but I felt the care was substandard.” Her ambition from then on was to do better for mothers who are in labour.
It was while she was a student that she decided she would love to be a midwife. “In second year, I realised my passion was in midwifery. After completing the course I worked in the emergency department.”
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After having spent several years working at Leratong Hospital, in the labour ward, she moved to Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH), where she has been since 2022 in the post of operational manager.
Ntabeni sees it as important to have a deep love for this particular vocation. “The situations we work under are not easy. They’re strenuous, hectic, and emotionally and psychologically draining. So, if you do not have the heart for it, then its going to be a problem.”
The nurse shared that most nurses shy from working in the maternity department, as it comes with a lot of litigation and is arduous, but she is resolute in her thinking that a passionate midwife can tackle all that comes with the role. She does add, however, that support from your colleagues goes a long way, and, more often than not, there is always a colleague to assist you.
To the next generation, she hopes they enter their role with the confidence it requires of them. She says that it is common for a nurse to not initially like the department they are in, but somewhere down the line they begin to enjoy it. “Nursing is not an easy job, but we always put our faith in God. For Him to help and guide us through various situations.”
In her time within the profession she hopes she continues to grow and see nurses support each other. “We spend more than 90% of our time here, so these are the people you need support from.”
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