Nurses at tertiary hospitals in the Western Cape are celebrating International Nurses Day today, a day that honours the birth of Florence Nightingale and recognises the immense contributions nurses make to healthcare.
With the theme “Our nurses, our future,” this year’s celebration aims to address global health challenges and ensure that nurses are protected, respected, and valued now and in the future.
“Always make sure that you look after yourself because if you don’t, you won’t be able to attend to your patient’s needs,” says Simone Ellis, who works in an abdominal surgical ward at Tygerberg Hospital, the largest academic hospital in the province and the second largest in Africa. “Live every day as if it is your last; life is so short.”
Like her colleagues, Ellis believes that International Nurses Day serves as a powerful reminder of how professional nurses serve humanity by protecting the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
Celebrating the next generation
The three tertiary hospitals in the Western Cape – Tygerberg Hospital, Groote Schuur Hospital, and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital – are joining forces to celebrate the next generation of nurses who will lead and shape the future of healthcare.
Palesa Ntlemeza, a nurse in the maternity department at Groote Schuur Hospital, shares her heartfelt journey into nursing. “I was in grade 10 when my grandmother was diagnosed with dementia,” she recalls. “Comforting my mother throughout the whole process of our loss made me realize that I should consider studying nursing.”
While nursing is an immensely rewarding profession, it can also be challenging, especially in tertiary hospitals where the demands are high.
Nurses often work long shifts, and despite their best efforts, patients sometimes succumb to illness.
A time to reflect
Ellis says International Nurses Day is also an occasion to reflect on the incredible experiences nurses encounter. “In my three years of service, I have witnessed both the ups and downs of nursing. I have seen patients on their deathbeds recover and be discharged home to their families. I have experienced resuscitating a non-reactive patient and bringing them back to life. And I have witnessed the joy in a mother’s eyes when she meets her baby for the first time ever.”
Meanwhile, Lydia Valentine, who works in the main theatre at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, a leading specialist healthcare provider for children across Africa, shares her thoughts on the importance of celebrating International Nurses’ Day.
“We reflect on how far we have come as nurses, the examples that have been set, the standards to maintain, and the work (clinical, research, educational, and leadership) performed by nurses from various walks of life,” she says.
Working towards a brighter future
According to a statement from the Western Cape department of health, this year’s campaign for International Nurses Day aims to shine a light on nurses and work towards a brighter future where nurses are invaluable in the eyes of the public and policymakers. “The next generation of nurses in the province will lead and shape the future, playing a vital role in healthcare,” it says.
