Joseph Monaheng 

 
The
Gauteng Nurses Leadership Forum (GNLF) which consist of nursing leaders from
all public hospitals, nursing colleges and private sector facilities convened
at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital in Vosloorus on Thursday, 21 November
2019 to pave a future for nursing in the province.

The
forum deliberated on various issues including amongst others, the National
Strategic Plan for Nursing Education Training and Practice, State of Readiness
on Accreditation for new Nursing Programme, Student Nurses intake for 2020 and
Strategic Plan for Nursing Education and Training Report.  


In his
opening remarks, the Acting Chief Executive Officer at Thelle Mogoerane
Regional Hospital Dr. Michael Malaka said it was of paramount importance to
have such gatherings as the nursing fraternity represents the majority of
health professionals. 


“If
you want to know anything about the patient, the best person(s) to ask is the
nurses because they are the ones who spends almost 24 hours on the bed-side of
the patient. They even know those things that the patient will not necessarily
divulge around other health professionals.”


“It is
very important to see you gathering in this fashion because it gives us hope
that as we go in to the future and entering the era of the National Health
Insurance, nursing will play a significant role in redefining how we manage our
patients,” said Dr. Malaka. 


Ascending
to the podium, Mr. Lowane Serongwa from Nursing Directorate at Central Office
informed the delegates that the preparations for the 2020 nursing intake are in
progress. 


“The
students will apply online, we will be working closely with the Department of
e-Government to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Further details on how
things will work will be communicated in due course,” said Serongwa, adding
that the nursing colleges that have been accredited for 2020 intake so far are
Ann Latsky, Bona Lesedi, and Chris Hani Baragwanath nursing colleges.  


Addressing
the issue of human resources at the Gauteng Department of Health, Director of
Nursing Practice, Compliance and Research Ms Nomonde Dlamini said the shortage
of nursing human resource is key on the agenda and needs to be addressed. 


“We
have the reality of the influx of patients in our facilities as well as the
human resource structure that was last reviewed by the department in 2006. This
means that the resources that are currently allocated to the department of
health cannot meet the needs,” Dlamini explained.