Nursing is a profession like no other.<\/p>\n
From nursing students learning the basics of clinical nursing care to those nurses pursuing highly specialised fields of healthcare, this is a vocation that requires dedication, resilience, acute attention to detail, and a life-long passion for learning.<\/p>
\u201cThis International Nurses\u2019 Day, May 12, Netcare salutes the women and men who wear their uniforms with pride, as well as the students who aspire to take up this influential role in future,\u201d said Shannon Nell, director of nursing and nursing education at Netcare.<\/p>\n
\u201cNurses fulfill a vital role in society, which extends beyond their working hours in a healthcare facility.<\/p>
\u201cWhen we see a nurse\u2019s uniform, it speaks of knowledge in the service of care and a professional efficiency that is reassuring in times of illness or crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of our nurses, from the highly experienced and specialised to those who are just starting out in the profession, have one distinction in common: each chose to apply their minds and their lives to the pursuit of excellence in caring for others.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough studying and working in this demanding area of healthcare service delivery, these exceptional individuals know that \u2018care\u2019 is as much a science as it is an art. To all Netcare nurses, thank you all for the contribution you make each day for your patients, your respective teams, and for upholding Netcare\u2019s unique approach to care.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sister Metse Maphula, who is studying towards a post-basic qualification in critical care at Netcare Education\u2019s Gauteng South West campus in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, said that the knowledge and skills she and her classmates are attaining are equipping them to make a positive difference not only in the course of their official duties, but also at community level.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day you get to help someone and make a positive difference in that person\u2019s life. We can offer a lot of help to people in our community, our family members and, of course, our patients. This is what motivates us to persevere and love what we do each day. There are challenges that come with nursing, but we are able to face these because we are a team,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Bridging course student, Kavitha Naidoo, who celebrates her birthday on International Nurses\u2019 Day, said that she has found her practical work at Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital extremely rewarding, particularly as it provides the opportunity to contribute towards patients\u2019 recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have seen patients come into the facility with injuries seriously affecting their mobility, who are able to walk out of the hospital unassisted when they leave. As a nurse, it is the greatest privilege to help patients reach a stage where they feel \u2018I can do this again\u2019, where they can get back into family life and return to work. Care extends beyond physical wellbeing, it also has psychosocial dimensions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Nell noted that the theory and practice of nursing is constantly evolving, with new technologies and enhanced methods of care emerging all the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cChoosing a career in nursing means embarking on a path of life-long learning. This is a challenging career, whether the individual decides to pursue a particular specialisation requiring additional years of study, or refining their skills through greater understanding of healthcare processes and people.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have something new to learn each day. It is simply a question of recognising it and grabbing hold of the opportunities as they present themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNursing is not practiced in isolation; it involves a high degree of co-operation with other team members and doctors, as well as the ability to make informed critical decisions and meaningfully engage with patients and their families, often under stressful circumstances. This requires a delicate balance between professional distance and empathy, adherence to established protocols and intuition, and above all human understanding informed by medical facts. This wisdom cannot be achieved overnight \u2013 and if it could be, it would not be as highly valued as it rightly is.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy message to nurses this International Nurses Day is one of profound gratitude for the work they do in touching so many people\u2019s lives, and encouragement for the years ahead in their profession. Thank you to each one of you for your hard work. Your professionalism, dedication, efficiency and commitment are incredibly appreciated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe concept of care fundamentally involves looking after the wellbeing of others. At work and in their personal lives, nurses stand out as the people on whom the rest of society relies in their time of greatest need. To all our nurses, on behalf of Netcare, thank you for the professionalism and compassion you demonstrate in delivering the best possible care to our patients each day.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Nurses enjoy their special day<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>, Leigh Hodgson (journalist)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or Puleng Sekabate\u00a0<\/span>pulengs@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n