Retirees advise nurses on commitment to service
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The old girls association of Lagos State School of Nursing Class 9A Set (1976 to 1979) has advised younger nurses to have passion for the job and also see the profession as a way to serve humanity.
The group lamented that many are going into the profession only for what they can get from it in financial terms.
Known as the Gale Club, the retired nurses, who graduated over 40 years ago, have continued to impact humanity and give back to the society.
As part of its humanitarian gesture and effort to celebrate the Yuletide, the group recently visited the Galean Ward A1 at the Lagos Island General Hospital, where it donated items worth millions of naira.
The club equally visited the Home for the Elderly, at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin, Lagos, where they extended their humanitarian gesture to the aged, and donating food items in large quantities.
At the General Hospital, Lagos, the retired nurses, who recognised the importance of modern equipment to the survival of patients, donated some items as part of their support and adoption of the ward given to them by the management of the hospital.
President, Gale Club, Omipe Sadipe, who expressed satisfaction at the visit, said at the main ward, items like four ward screens, one oxygen concentrator, 30 patient pillows, two oxygen regulator and medium size refrigerator were donated, while other items like toothbrush, toothpaste, bathing soap, small towel, Dettol, Water bottle were donated in a pack to the Galean ward.
Sadipe said their purpose from outset was to impact humanity and to give back to their alma mater.
“This is possible because we have the bond right from 1976. Last year, our members in the diaspora came for the donation and the adoption of the ward. Although none is present today, they reached out to us in these donations. When we were in school we were called the pacesetters, and so, it was not an issue doing all these things today, “she said.
On the group’s contribution to the health sector from their wealth of experience, she acknowledged that as a retired nurse, each of them contributed in one capacity or the other.
She, however, advised younger nurses to see the profession as a way to serve humanity, “because most of them are just doing it for what they can get. In our time, we were doing it because we love the job, we wanted to really go into it.
“So, for those who are really going into it, the lord will give them the spirit to have the humanitarian heart to carry out the task.
“They should have passion first even though money will come, but the passion to care for the people in whatever the situation is the most technical aspect of the job. This must be at the heart of every nurse in the country.”
Speaking also, the Club’s Publicity Secretary, Ibidola Adeniyi, said the donation was used to fund their yearly objective, which is giving back to the society.
Commenting on brain drain challenges facing the health sector, Adeniyi, who acknowledged that everything has been drained off, said: “People who know the technical aspect of the job-the skilled workers, who really know this job have been taken away. So, who else will train the upcoming ones?
“Who will train and nurture the ones that are coming? I mean almost 45 per cent have gone, but we are here hanging on. So we too are trying whatever we can do to impact the general public. My advice for the government is to help us and intervene in the ugly trend and we pray sincerely that the economy gets better so that people will stop migrating to other nations.”
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