Retirement Nurses Forum
The year-end function of the Retirement Nurses Forum (RNF) turned out to be a joyful day for everyone.
They all gathered at the Anna Schoeman hall at the Far East Rand Hospital (FERH) last Wednesday, and enjoyed the musical items by dancing and singing along.
The CEO of FERH Doctor Lekopane Mogaladi, welcomed everyone and emphasised the young people who need to learn from the older generation.
The forum was formed in 2012 in coordination with the Department of Health.
“This forum’s aim is to make a contribution to the younger nursing staff and to be the platform where challenges can be addressed,” says chairman Ethel Lesolang.
According to Aubrey Nxumalo, ANC councillor and deployed member of the mayoral committee, the forum’s nurses are still active in hospitals and “work like donkeys”, while others are on cellphones, chewing bubblegum or listening to music while they are supposed to work.
“We are retired not fired,” says Ethel.
Khosi Twala, the MMC of the Department of Health and Social Development says Ekurhuleni misses the wisdom and attitude of the retired nurses.
“I am here to build a relationship – we need to deploy nurses for inputs as most of the complaints of today against nursing staff are about attitude and negligence,” she adds.
A number of new clinics are being built in the area and the department is going to engage the retired nurses’ leadership in the future.
Twala states current and future nurses need to learn about patient care, because somehow it got lost.
“The department does not know what they are in for,” says Ethol jokingly.
Aubrey adds the nursing and education professions are dying and the community needs RFN to teach the upcoming nurses about the values of being in this profession.
He is very clear in saying there are too many rights in this country.
“We all live among the community and not on an island, we need to get involved in organisations to raise our voices and speak up about the wrong things in life,” he adds.
The CEO of Woman of Value Dimakatso Mawela says people need to turn challenges into opportunities and this NGO cannot do it alone.
She ended her talk with the following words: “whatever you are facing is not greater than you.”
Ethel says the RFN will stay strong but needs to be involved in the hospitals and clinics to assist in teaching and educating the training nurses.
