Bloem nurse’s dedication recognised with top award

A NURSE from Bloemfontein has made it her life’s mission to bring healthcare to her community, despite working in a sector characterised by a shortage of resources and staff and a general lack of support.

Angela Vermeulen runs the Itekeng Support Group 24/7 care centre‚ which she founded two years ago to bring care to the doors of her patients.

“I am happy and very proud of myself and the work I do,” she said.

“I am also speaking on behalf of all nurses. I know that if we had enough resources we would do more for our patients.”

Vermeulen goes around collecting medication from pharmacies‚ some of which sponsor her.

“I get support from different people. I also use my own money to buy medication for my patients on a monthly basis,” she said.

“I have a few patients staying in my centre while I do home checkups on the rest.

“I do this to make sure they are taking their medication as indicated and also are taken care of.

“If they don’t have enough medication‚ I ensure that they receive it so that they do not relapse.” Vermeulen qualified as a nurse in 1999. “I worked at public hospitals until my resignation in 2015,” she said.

“I left because I felt overwhelmed with the overcrowding in hospitals that resulted in early discharges.

“There were many challenges, so I decided to take the hospital to the community.”

She is responsible for about 20 patients.

“Sometimes it gets exhausting because you get emotionally attached to your patients‚ which can be good at times because then you will do your best to ensure their wellbeing,” she said. “There is nothing more fulfilling than putting a smile on someone’s face and changing their lives.”

Vermeulen said she dealt mostly with HIV/Aids and TB patients‚ as well as those with minor ailments.

In honour of her noble contribution‚ outstanding selflessness and dedication‚ Vermeulen was awarded the 2017 Marilyn Lahana award for the most caring nurse by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa in Pretoria on Monday.

There is nothing more fulfilling than putting a smile on someone’s face