The 12th of May was International Nurse’s Day so the Department of Health has launched a campaign to celebrate them and the work they do.
South Africa – Nurses are the first faces you see when you enter a hospital. They check your vitals and make sure you are comfortable. They then step aside so the doctor can do his exam. Once he has given his orders, it is the nurses who provide you with what you need and take care of you.
They are being called the backbone of the South African medical field. All over the country, nurses were celebrated for their contributions to the medical field.
The Department of Health has launched a national campaign under the theme “Nurses: A voice to lead Health for All”. In an interview with Africa Melane, Christal Bastian an assistant nursing manager at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital discussed what the campaign meant to her.
“We are the backbone of the Department of Health and we want to serve our nurses with pride and with dignity.
We are at the bedside from birth up until the patient is dying, we are very privileged and therefore I think we are the ambassadors in terms of patient care.”
On the day, nurses at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital redid their pledges as a way to remind themselves of the importance of the work they do.
“The most important thing is we will devote ourselves to the service of humanity so that we can deliver the best care for our patients.”
Even though the day has passed, we would like to hear from you. What is the most selfless thing a nurse has ever done for you? Our favourite nurse to date is Nurse Kabelo who lay down and comforted a dying man in his final moments. We cried when we first read his story. If you missed it, read it here.
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