Nursing excellence rewarded
Amid concerns of an increasing number of nurses leaving the profession for various reasons, POST reporter BUSISIWE MPOFANA spoke to new graduates about their fears and hopes, as well as KZN Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo. She also spoke to the vice-princip
SHANTI Ramkilowan had always known nursing to be a dedicated and committed career, requiring much studying to acquire knowledge in anything from psychology and social science to medicine and even surgery.
Today, and after 40 years in the profession, the Pietermaritzburg grandmother is still learning.
Among three employees honoured by the KwaZuluNatal Department of Health last week for their long and exceptional service, Ramkilowan spoke to POST about how nursing is part of her spirituality.
Ramkilowan, who obtained her Master’s degree in nursing last year at the age of 62, is the vice-principal of the KZN College of Nursing.
In that role she has helped churn out hundreds of nurses and observe the changing dynamics of the profession.
When she first entered it, there were no male nurses or trainees, and even 10 years later, as a lecturer, there were no men around.
But the “stigma” has changed and now men make up about 30% or more of nurses in South Africa, she said.
Ramkilowan said she had always loved the idea of nursing, even as a child growing up in Edendale.
While still at high school she enrolled for training at the St John Ambulance Foundation, which supplied first aid courses, kits and community health care training.
“That was where my foundation was laid; it was just God-given,” she said.
At St John, she was taught all the basics of home-based nursing, from the making of beds to the care of elderly patients.
After matriculating, she trained as a general nurse for three years before opting for midwifery as a career.
“The first time I delivered a baby I was hurting. It was like I was feeling the mother’s contractions; I even screamed with them,” she recalled.
“The wrapping of the newborn and handing the new life over to their mother is breathtaking.”
Ramkilowan spent 10 years as a hospital nurse.
“The most rewarding part of being a nurse is when you see a patient recover and know that you had something to do with that,” she said.
“Yes, the 40 hours a week are horrible, the 24/7 on your feet is tiring, but at the end of the day, it’s not only about writing reports for doctors and giving out medication – it’s about doing the little things a sick person cannot do for themselves. All that satisfaction should make you forget about all those working hours.”
The mother of two then studied further to become a lecturer, so she could impart her knowledge to others.
Ramkilowan conceded there were challenges in the health system, such as funding and too few nursing colleges, but was hopeful these would be addressed.
As for concerns over nurses leaving the system, she believes the department can work through that by doing job satisfaction surveys.
“Most of the time people are leaving not only because of money. Some of the reasons are private, maybe someone has a baby,” she said. “You can work through that by changing their shifts to accommodate that person.”
KZN Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo told POST that he did not know why nurses, especially in rural areas, were quitting, but it could be for better pay overseas.
The department would conduct interviews with them after they resigned to find out more, he said.
Dhlomo said the department also wanted assurance that they would not return, as it believed some were cashing in on their pensions, then returning when the money ran out.