Lydia Ntezo’s name is synonymous with compassion and dedication in the nursing field. Her journey from Mtati village in Peddie in the Eastern Cape to becoming a cardiac scrub nurse at Life Vincent Palotti Hospital in Cape Town is nothing short of inspirational.
“I am just an ordinary girl who grew up in a dusty village in the Eastern Cape,” Ntezo begins, her voice filled with humility.
As the last born in a family of five children, Ntezo’s active and social upbringing set the foundation for her easy-going nature and her ability to connect with people. “During my childhood, I was very active, always playing with other children and participating in sports both in primary and secondary school,” she adds.
Her path to nursing was deeply influenced by her personal experiences as a child.
“I was frequently admitted to the hospital due to health conditions,” she recalls.
Inspired to help others
The care and treatment she received from the nurses and doctors inspired her to consider a career in nursing. “I realised that becoming a nurse would give me a unique opportunity to help others, which I found very gratifying and motivating,” she says proudly.
In 2001, a determined Ntezo moved from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town, driven by a passion for healthcare. Initially aspiring to pursue nursing, she faced setbacks but remained undeterred. After being turned away from a university due to capacity, she sought guidance from friends and started a home-based care course.
Realising that caring for elderly patients wasn’t her true calling, she progressed to auxiliary nursing at Healthnicon College in Parow, Cape Town. She became a staff nurse through Unisa, and eventually qualified as a sister in 2010.
Her healthcare journey includes working in various wards, including orthopaedics, general wards and a private hospital in Panorama. Ntezo’s career took a pivotal turn when she fell in love with the theatre; she was particularly intrigued by the intricate dynamics of anaesthesia and surgical procedures.
This led Ntezo to further her education at Stellenbosch University, specialising in theatre nursing. Her ambition and dedication culminated in her interest in cardiac surgery, a field “not commonly pursued by young black women”, she notes.
Through rigorous study, observation, and hands-on practice, she gained the expertise needed to assist in complex cardiac procedures, earning the respect and admiration of her colleagues and surgeons alike.
As a cardiac nurse, Ntezo reflects on her most rewarding experiences.
“Seeing very sick patients recover after cardiac surgery is incredibly rewarding,” she says warmly. “I make it a point to visit patients post-procedure, and seeing them much better than they were before being admitted is touching.”
However, the journey is not without its challenges. She shares some of the difficulties she faces in her role. “One of the main challenges in cardiac surgery is the long hours. We start at 6:00 AM, expecting to finish by noon, but sometimes we end up working until 5:00 PM. The complexities and complications during procedures often extend our hours,” she explains.
“Despite the exhaustion, knowing that we are making a difference in our patients’ lives keeps us going.”
Listen to the full interview on the Health For Mzansi podcast:
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ALSO LISTEN TO: Martin’s decades of nursing excellence: Caring beyond the call
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