‘It’s about helping our patients’
They are the heroes who make a difference on the frontlines every day
On May 6, the world commemorates International Nurses Day under this year’s theme is “A voice to lead”. Capital Newspapers spoke to some of the city’s nurses to find out what how they define what it means to provide compassionate, connected care.
Registered nurse Nicola Naidoo, from ICU 1 at Midlands Medical Centre (MMC) said nursing is all about planning, ongoing practice in ensuring that patients are receiving quality care and also understanding patients and assisting them physically, emotionally and psychologically. “During trying times, I learnt to work swiftly especially now with all their challenges faced by the healthcare sector. I try to ensure all patients’ needs are met and come up with new ways of making patients comfortable in their journey of healing,” said Naidoo.
Registered nurse Kubendree Munsami from MMC’s Surgical Ward A echoed the sentiments that patients must come first. “Being a nurse means always being a voice to patients and all decision being made should always be accommodating to a patient,” said Munsami, adding that a nurse must connect with people from all walks of life.
Open communication within the multidisciplinary team, the patient and their family members, is most important to staff nurse, Thabsile Mnikathi, from Surgical Ward B at MMC. “There is a lot of changes that came with the pandemic, and giving the best and ensuring that my patients are kept safe is vital,” said Mnikathi, who has been nursing for a decade.
It’s been 20 years since Nonkululeko
Shabalala became a registered nurse. She currently works in the Cardiac ICU at MMC and said her field is dynamic, and a very unique discipline that needs someone who is able to think on their feet and make decisions that revolves around patients. “Nursing doesn’t only apply in my place of work. In my church, I am responsible for teaching community about how they can assist in fighting against the pandemic,” she said.
Staff nurse Noxolo Zulu from MMC’s Cardiac ICU believes being a nurse is about being brave and making sacrifices to care for vulnerable patients. “After every shift, I am always filled with joy and pride that I helped my patients,” said Zulu.
Nurse N.L. Evans from Mediclinic said nurses do what nobody else will in a way that nobody else can. “And this in spite of all we go through,” said Evans.
Registed nurse P.S. Gumede, also from Mediclinic, said being a nurse means leaving your family and your loved ones unattended so that you can provide help, care and sympathy to an unknown stranger. “It takes dedication,” said Gumede. “I am proudly a nurse!”
Mediclinic’s unit manager of theatre, Sister Rahouda Khan, said nurses make commitments to their patients. “Compassion, dedication and voicing your opinion on patient safety becomes your key focus area to give quality patient care.”
Unit manager at Mediclinic, Gesh Padayachee, said it was a gift to deliver the best care to the ill with compassion, kindness and intelligence.