Nurses within our communities are our pillars as they assist us within our health care facilities. Nurses faced hardships more especially when the pandemic started. As citizens, we got to understand their day to day challenges, without ignoring the fact that we can’t survive without them.
A 33-year-old nurse by the name of Sister Disebo Moitsemang is originally from Kimberley but now she resides in Brakpan Ekurhuleni. Sister Moitsemang started her journey in 2013 at Life Healthcare College of Nursing as she was very unsure about what she wanted to do with her life career-wise, hence she tried out different jobs but she found herself working as an administrator at a doctor’s surgery.
That’s when she realised that she’s destined to be in the health field.
Moitsemang spoke to Ekurhuleni News, disclosing that “The challenges that we are facing is that we don’t have enough staff members, sometimes you cannot further your studies because no one will fill in your space when you are not available. The COVID-19 pandemic has also put a lot on hold. We sacrifice our time with our families, break promises because at any given time you might be called into work, even on our off-days.
Most people don’t know what happens behind the closed curtains, we are running around to ensure that all patients’ needs are met. At times some things are out of our control. The nurse is blamed for everything: engineering issues, pharmaceutical issues, housekeeping issues, kitchen issues, medical aid issues and so forth. So mostly we’re not judged on the actual work that we do. The manual documentation also disadvantages us from interacting with our patients as much as we’d like to.”
Sister Moitsemang sleeps with a happy heart knowing the difference that she has made in other people’s lives. Moitsemang also revealed to Ekurhuleni News, saying that “Your heart needs to be in it for real. The financial gains should come after.” Moitsemang added disclosing that she has never felt more recognized as she did during this pandemic. “People are starting to understand our line of work and it’s not easy. My groceries were once paid for by a stranger after I knocked off in the morning, I was stunned God bless him.”
By Vuyokazi Bam
