Happy International Nurse’s Day to all nurses who touch countless lives with their care
In the spirit of International Nurses Day, Netcare pays homage to the nurses who demonstrate their professionalism and compassion in caring for patients all year round.
In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, proposed that President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaim a “Nurses’ Day”; he did not approve it.
”It is clear that nurses’caring goes far beyond the requirements on a job description and is not confined to scheduled shifts on a work roster. This is illustrated by a few of the countless selfless acts by Netcare nurses around the country. For example, a Pretoria nurse who is a cancer survivor established a support group to encourage and motivate patients fighting the disease, a KwaZulu-Natal nurse went the extra mile to assist a patient’s family to provide him with the care he needed after being discharged from hospital, and a highly qualified Johannesburg cardiac nurse’s community-mindedness provided school uniforms for underprivileged children: all of these demonstrating care in action.”
She added that she would like to recognise the contribution of all our nurses, and highlight one example that was brought to my attention recently. Enrolled nurse, Njabulo Mncwango, who works in the urology ward at Netcare Parklands Hospital, was nursing a patient and in his conversations with the patient’s family it emerged that he lived near the family,” said Pogson.
“When the patient was discharged from hospital, the family was given instructions on how to clean the patient’s catheter during his home recovery. However, despite their best efforts, the family found it very difficult and, remembering that nurse Mncwango lived nearby, they decided to call on him and request his help.”
“Without hesitation, nurse Mncwango drove to the patient’s house and assisted the patient. He cleaned the catheter and ensured the patient was comfortable, then demonstrated to the family how to perform the necessary care in their home environment.”
“Over and above this, nurse Mncwango took it upon himself to make daily visits to the family to ensure that the catheter was cleaned appropriately until the family was comfortable doing it on their own. We applaud nurse Mncwango for his commitment to ensuring the best possible care for patients, even after discharge. Actions speak louder than words, and this act shows that he truly lives the Netcare core value of care,” she said.
“Nurse Pinkie Khoza of Netcare Moot Hospital in Pretoria, was diagnosed with cancer in August 2016 and had to undergo extensive treatment. While the side effects of treatment can be hard to cope with, nurse Khoza remained positive and deeply committed to her duties. In the face of her own difficulties, she was an example to all, and devoted herself to maintaining excellence in her care of patients,” said Berry.“In the course of her duties, nurse Khoza came into contact with a number of patients who were undergoing cancer treatment or had been recently diagnosed with various forms of cancer. From her personal experience and on her own initiative, she decided to form a support system for those who were interested.
This included organising face-to-face support meetings in her home, which she caters for herself, and establishing a social media group for sharing motivational messages, encouragement and advice with patients undergoing cancer treatment. The passion, enthusiasm and care she has shown make nurse Khoza an inspiration to us all,” said Berry.
Edel Cutler, regional nursing services manager of Netcare’s Gauteng South West region, acknowledged a cardiac-trained registered nurse for the heartwarming care Sr Gill Longano of Netcare Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg has shown for underprivileged members of her community.
“Sr Longano is a highly qualified nurse who works in the catheterisation laboratory at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. While her experience and expertise are an inspiration to many of her colleagues, she has also distinguished herself through her tireless efforts to assist the less fortunate.”
Director of nursing and nursing education at Netcare, Shannon Nell, said that nursing is a challenging career requiring dedication and commitment to lifelong learning.
“From nurses who are qualified in the most specialised fields to those who are just starting out in their careers, there is always something more to be learnt that will make them better nurses today than they were yesterday – and this is entirely as it should be. The critical decision making and high-level team work involved in nursing means that whilst nursing is a demanding career, but it is certainly one with the richest of rewards,” said Nell.“This International Nurses Day, as with every day of the year, we at Netcare are profoundly grateful to have outstanding nurses caring for our patients, not only in terms of the nursing expertise and experience they bring as part of the healthcare teams at their hospitals but also for their true dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of others – both on and off duty,” said Nell.
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