Nurses are saving lives, every day, all over our nation. We can change the tide of negative media coverage by highlighting all the ‘exceptional nurses’ that help create beautiful miracles every day. Nurses not only form the backbone but the beating heart of our Healthcare System.
South Africa (01 August 2022) – Once again, South Africa, our nation’s nurses need you! Make sure you lace up those takkies, put on your lycra and enter the 4th annual Exceptional Nurse Campaign Night Run Series taking place throughout South Africa from the 3rd of September.
Why this particular run, you ask?
Well, it’s a great excuse to get out into the community and breathe in some fresh air, but more importantly, you will be honouring all the exceptional nurses of the country. At the same time, you will be helping us to raise awareness for the current healthcare crisis. 50% of the nurses in our country are nearing retirement age. We are losing 9,000 nurses annually due to retirement and death but currently only have capacity to train 3,000 nurses each year. The Night Run events create a healthy public platform to urge the government to address the current healthcare crisis and train more nurses. Runners’ entry fees will go towards bursaries for student nurses.
The 7km night route is symbolic of the 7-7 shifts our nurses work.
“The purpose of the night run is to raise awareness of the critical shortage of professional nurses, to promote a culture of honour and gratitude towards nurses,” says Sister Teresa Basson, the brainchild of this event. “Nurses are saving lives, every day, all over our nation. We can change the tide of negative media coverage by highlighting all the ‘exceptional nurses’ that help create beautiful miracles every day. Nurses not only form the backbone but the beating heart of our Healthcare System.”
With the support of nursing colleagues, Sister Teresa started the Exceptional Nurse Campaign in 2015 after seeing the desperate situation in some of our public hospitals and community clinics. 51 million people in our country are totally dependent upon the Department of Health for the healthcare services provided through 350 Public Hospitals and approximately 3,000 Community Clinics. There is currently an estimated shortage of over 30,000 professional nurses currently employed in the Government Sector, where the Patient to Nurse ratio is sometimes 25:1 – that is, 25 patients to be cared for by 1 nurse!
“Fully endorsed by the Department of Health, The Exceptional Nurse Campaign is a non-government,
non-political, non-profit company committed to bringing sustainable solutions to the growing health care crisis in South Africa around the shortage of professional nurse posts,” explains Sister Teresa. “We appeal to Government to drastically increase the Health Budget to enable the Department of Health to open more nursing posts and train more nurses. We need sustainable solutions. We aim to inspire and mobilise exceptional nurses to hospitals and clinics in South Africa where help is needed most, whilst at the same time promoting a culture of honour and sincere gratitude towards all nurses, nationwide.”
Entries cost R100 per person and R50 for children under the age of 12, with all proceeds being donated to the Exceptional Nurse Campaign Bursary Fund. To enter in a province in your area, please visit this website.
Get your entries in now and remember, “SAVE LIVES – BE A NURSE”.
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Night Run to Honour Nurse’s dates:
- 03 September 2022 – Cape Town
- 10 September 2022 – Joburg
- 17 September 2022 – Gqeberha
- 24 September 2022 – Pretoria
- 01 October 2022 – Durban
- 08 October 2022 – East London
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