NURSING
Hands-on caring WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WORK IN NURSING? It started when I was fourteen and my grandfather was 113 years old. There was a nurse who lived next door who would visit the elderly. She helped prevent my grandfather from getting bedsores and showed real love and care towards him. It was then that I knew. WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO? I did a Diploma in General Nursing Science, Community, Psychiatry and Midwifery. This was a four-year diploma with practical work. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY ON THE JOB I work in a general ward with a mix of medical and psychiatric patients. In the mornings the night staff hand over to the day shift, then we check medication. Breakfast will be issued, followed by the dispensing of medication to patients. The ward sister then completes reports on the management of patients. Doctors will come in during the day and I’ll do rounds with them and take orders on each patient. Nurses will continue doing regular observations (blood pressure, etc). I deal with admission, transfers and discharge of patients. It’s a full twelve-hour day! DESCRIBE YOUR TAKE ON A ‘GOOD’ NURSE? You need to be down to earth and care about people. This profession is about caring, understanding and love.
SR YEKIWE HLOMBE REGISTERED NURSE CAPE TOWN MEDI-CLINIC
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK? I love it when patients smile and say thank you when they feel better and are going home happy.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? I plan to study further to become an educator and train nurses. I would like to share my knowledge.
DO YOU HAVE ANY DISLIKES? Dealing with difficult patients – psychiatric patients, for example. It is not easy.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN NURSING? Don’t take up nursing because of the money; nurse because you love it!
WHAT HAD BEEN YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT SO FAR? I was still a student and it was my first delivery. I prepared everything and was telling the mother to push, but as she was pushing, so was I! I became hypoglycaemic and fainted! The doctor had to give me glucose to restore my blood sugar so I could continue. I finally helped her give birth to a healthy baby boy. I was so happy. I will never forget that crazy and wonderful experience.
DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN THREE WORDS Caring • Understanding • Love
I LOVE IT WHEN PATIENTS SMILE AND SAY THANK YOU
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