Culminating in International Nurses Day on 12 May, National Nurses Week (6 to 13 May), this week has seen healthcare professionals and institutions across South Africa celebrate the nurses who work so tirelessly behind the scenes and in the frontline to serve all of us. Fundi is joining these celebrations, supporting the many nurses who continue investing in their ongoing growth and development, and – ultimately – our care.
One of the most in-demand professions around the world, nursing remains a calling and vocation. This is also true in South Africa where we have a countrywide contingent of around 280 000 serving patients in the public and private space [1].
“National Nurses Week is the ideal opportunity to thank nurses for the difference they make on a daily basis,” says Mala Suriah, the Chief Marketing Officer of Fundi. “It’s also an opportunity to highlight just how actively they are investing in their own development, as well as in that of their loved ones. This is extremely encouraging as it speaks to their commitment to the profession – and well beyond it.”
Suriah notes that the demands of the profession are increasing in line with the rapid advancements being made in healthcare. “As Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing and other technologies continue influencing the space and our approach to healing and wellness, both doctors and nurses are adapting their way of work to leverage new techniques and procedures. For many this involves learning new ways of diagnosing and treating patients as this new technology becomes available. This is where lifelong learning comes in.”
Fundi data shows that nurses have always been active investors in their own development, with the company administering almost 6 000 loans for the Department of Health alone. “Of these loans 56.35% are for dependents, while 43.65% are for the customers themselves. The majority of loans (76.61%) are taken for study purposes.” Suriah adds that the average customer is 45 years old – typically at an age where they are ready to specialise or progress to a higher level of management. “It’s also particularly encouraging to see how provincial health departments are supporting this trend, with the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Western Cape taking the lead.”
Fundi’s teams across the country will be working to ensure the week is extra special by offering a personalised opportunities to upskill through a series of courses. “On Nurses Day itself, we will run an incentive programme where anyone applying for the programme stands a chance to win one of 150 cash or lunch vouchers. We’re also encouraging our staff – in their personal and professional capacity – to take the time to thank and salute any of these very special ladies and gentlemen that they’re in contact with this week.”
[1] https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/585998/massive-shortage-of-nurses-in-south-africa-heres-how-much-they-get-paid/