“I’m so passionate about my job, I’d choose nursing over and over again.”
So said a nurse on International Nurses Day on Tuesday as the world commemorated and celebrated the heroic workers in the frontline of a killer virus that has brought nations to their knees.
The day is commemorated annually on the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
Catherine Booysen, 57, also known as Sister Cathy, is celebrating 40 years of service this year and the Groote Schuur Hospital employee says nothing makes her happier than serving the sick.
The hospital usually honours long-service workers with accolades and awards on this day but due to the Coronavirus pandemic, staff were only treated to a nice meal and thereafter resumed their duties.
Sister Cathy says she started working at Groote Schuur in 1981.
The single mother of two from Mitchells Plain says it was hard work raising her kids alone and having to work shifts but she was blessed with good neighbours and her dad, who lived with her.
PASSIONATE: Nurse Catherine Booysen of Mitchells Plain has been in service for 40 years
“Being a nurse was harder back then when we put in the extra hours and hard labour without much technology to assist us,” she says.
“We used to deep-clean the wards ourselves, high dust and low dust while we sang as we worked.
“I had the help of trustworthy neighbours who would help me with my kids, these days it must be difficult for a nurse to do that because you can’t trust anyone with your kids.
“I was also blessed to have my father pass away here at the hospital, while I worked here.”
Sister Cathy works in the Outpatient Unit and says since the pandemic took hold in South Africa her job has changed a lot.
“Before the Covid-19 pandemic started, I worked with the rural patients, sorting their referral letters and directing them where to go, now I stand at the entrance to see that everyone is sanitised and up to the safety standards to prevent the spread of the virus.”
Part of her job is educating the public about the virus.
She urges people to keep washing their hands, to only leave their homes when absolutely necessary and if they do, to practise proper social distancing.
Sister Cathy says although she is in the frontline of the pandemic and is in contact with scores of sick people daily, she doesn’t fear the virus.
“I’m not afraid of the virus, ek is onder die bloed(van Jesus), this is God’s test for us, we will overcome the pandemic,” she says with quiet conviction.
The Head of Nursing for GSH, Achmat Mohammed, says in addition, nurses try to keep up the spirits of patients: “No visitation is allowed so it is important for the nurses to be that family for the patients.
“Happy nurses day to all nurses, we appreciate all you do.”
UP: Achmat Mohammed
Staff at Tygerberg Hospital celebrated International Nurses Day with a candle-light event for one of their nurses who died last week as a result of the Covid-19 virus. Nurses also received gifts as a token of appreciation for their care and devotion towards patients.