GEMS salutes dedication and expertise of frontline healthcare workers

Nurses have much to contribute towards SA's future

Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, and their dedication to the health of the public makes them particularly deserving of our respect and admiration. The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) salutes the nursing profession, as our communities greatly rely on nurses and our healthcare system could never function properly without them.

International Nurses Day is celebrated on 12 May each year, marking the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is commonly regarded as the ‘mother of nursing' for her role in professionalising modern nursing. Nightingale achieved fame for her pioneering work in nursing injured soldiers during the Crimean War, instituting early public health awareness campaigns and promoting hygiene in healthcare. She set up a nursing school in London in 1860 and laid the foundation for professional nursing the world over.

As many nurses will confirm, nursing is more of a ‘calling', or vocation, than an ordinary job. In addition to the training and practical experience required, nursing is a demanding occupation requiring commitment, passion and dedication.

Many nurses are required to work long shifts, at any time of the day or night, and on weekends. They have to deal with sick, vulnerable individuals, some of whom can be difficult and demanding in their time of need. In their personal lives, nurses often have to support families and bring up their own children, while working very long hours.

While nursing is indeed a very demanding job, it is also an extremely rewarding one for those who have the right kind of personality for it. Those who are prepared to dedicate their life in service of taking care of others find it very gratifying. Nursing should not be considered a job with few growth prospects, as it is possible to build a fine career in the profession. Nowadays, nurses can specialise in a variety of health disciplines to become highly specialised. Many nurses also move on to high-ranking administrative jobs within the healthcare profession.

South African healthcare faces a number of challenges including a high disease burden, which means a lot of people are being diagnosed with diseases, limited healthcare resources and rapid population growth. These challenges are compounded by the fact that not enough people are training as nurses to enter the profession. This means that there is a shortage of nurses in many facilities, which leads to their work becoming even more demanding.

The central role of nurses in our healthcare system means that collectively they have great insight into the functioning of hospitals, clinics and the practical challenges facing healthcare in our country. GEMS believes that members of the nursing profession are in a unique position to meaningfully contribute to the vision for the successful implementation of National Health Insurance.

This International Nurses Day we honour South Africa's nurses and thank them for all they do in the service of humanity. GEMS acknowledges that nurses are very precious and we urge our members to give nurses the respect they deserve for their role in caring for the nation's health.

For the commitment they show and the hard work they put into taking care of people from our communities, we pay tribute to the nurses working at hospitals and clinics throughout South Africa. Thank you to all our nurses for your devotion and dedication - we at GEMS truly appreciate you!