NML Issue 10
NMLTT
2021
Protect.
Invest.
Together.
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INTERVIEW FROM CRITICAL CARE NURSE: ANDREW KAMAU Many critical care nurses have been on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic fight. They have worked long hours. They have seen their friends and colleagues succumb to the virus. And some have contracted the disease while at work. We catch up with one survivor, Mr. Andrew Kamau. Andrew, tell us a little about who Andrew Kamau is I am A nurse, BScN, RN with most of my experience being in intensive care units (ICU). My hobbies are listening to music and playing basketball. I have a wife and am a father of two lovely girls. Am Kenyan, who came to Uganda to study but stayed longer than planned mostly due to my marriage. How long have you lived in Uganda and what is your favourite thing(s) about Uganda? My favorite things about Uganda include the friendliness of the people, the relatively affordable cost of living, and that my wife who is a Ugandan is here. At what point in your career did you transition into your current work/role? There may be some readers looking to make this transition themselves. Walk us through these steps and the advice that you would give them. I started working in ICU in 2013 (during my internship) as a part time job. I have been working in ICU for about 8 years now. After 4 years’ experience, I have taken on leadership roles in two ICUs so far. My advice to nurses who would like to be able to take a similar path to mine in any nursing specialty; you are most likely to be working in a hospital where several procedures or routines are not done in line with ‘best practice’/up to date research. This is either due to resource limitation or gaps in continuing medical education. Gather as much knowledge as possible, always strive to find out what the best practices are (especially from your contacts in more advanced/resource-rich hospitals or from reading). Make use of this knowledge every day to cause a positive impact on your patient care and operations of your workplace. You can start this even before you become a leader. When you have knowledge, share it often. People appreciate and reward you in different ways. And what are some of the lessons you have learned in your career that are crucial for other nurses? There are lessons I have learnt in my career that might be relevant to other nurses. One is that nurses are the health workers whose interventions have the biggest influence on the patient's outcomes. Even though nurses have their own challenges, any gaps/sloppiness in nursing care could negatively influence patient outcomes.
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