Did I Know as a young girl that I would be nurse …? the answer is a simple …. NO!!!
When I was in primary school, I wanted to be teacher like my mom. In high school I considered being a dietician and physiotherapist. I went to get a change of spectacles in Grade 11 and my Ophthalmologist was very impressed with my personality and he said I would make a GREAT nurse. Guess what thereafter I applied for nursing and it turns out a nurse is a teacher, a dietician and physiotherapist all in one.
Fast forward to 20 years later….
A week before Lockdown in South Africa I went from being a research nurse to accepting a position of Site study Co-Ordinator in an MDR TB Trial at THINK. Just as I was getting orientated to my new role our country went into lockdown level 5. Listening to all the news surrounding Covid 19 placed a lot of fear in us and seeing the numbers of people that passed on was heart breaking. Life as we knew it then changed from us wearing masks at work only, because we worked with MDR TB positive patients, to wearing masks everywhere we went.
We then began working part-time in the office and implementing all the precautionary measures. We did home visits to deliver our patients medication and checked that they we all well during lockdown. Compliments to my team members as we did an excellent job in maintaining precautionary measures and none of our Healthcare members became infected with Covid 19 while we were doing home visits.
Here I am 21 years later as a Site Study Co-Ordinator, a leader in my team, an ambassador for our patients and I have truly enjoyed every stage of my nursing career, it has been filled with both highs and lows but each experience has been a lesson that has taught me to be an even GREATER nurse. To all the nurses out there no matter the hardships experienced always have a positive, warm and friendly personality to our patients and fellow Health care workers.
Remember this season shall pass…….