Suster Isabel Oberholzer, Operasionele Hoof van Barrydale Kliniek, belowe dat daar wel ‘n glimlag agter die masker, wat nou al vir meer as ‘n uiters belangrike deel van haar daaglikse roetiene uitmaak, is.
Soos ons weet het die lewe sedert die uitbraak van die Covid-19 pandemie drasties verander en die uitwerking wat die gevreesde virus op mense het, word eerstehands deur mediese personeel ervaar.
Nie net vrees hulle vir die gesondheid van die gemeenskap nie; daar moes drastiese aanpassings in hul gesinslewens gemaak word en daar is sonder twyfel baie persoonlike opofferings gemaak om almal se veiligheid in ag te neem.
Ten spyte van al hierdie opofferings het Oberholzer vandag, die dag waarop Florence Nightingale gebore is, ‘n glimlag en dit het dalk meer te doen met die dorp wat sy dien as die feit dat dit vandag (12 Mei) Internasionale Verpleegster Dag is.
“Ek is nou twee jaar in Barrydale en dit is ‘n wonderlike plek met sout van die aarde mense,” vertel sy.
“Net die ander week het ‘n groep vroue besluit om die terrein om die kliniek te verfraai – so ja, ek geniet dit hier en ons sal altyd streef om die beste diens moontlik aan ons gemeenskap te bied.”
“Hier is mense wat werklik omgee.”
In die sowat 30 jaar wat sy verpleeg, was daar egter nog nooit so ‘n groot uitdaging soos die een waarmee die wereld tans sit nie – Covid-19 het die hele raamwerk van die mediese wereld verander. Die afgelope jaar het mediese personeel onder groot druk gewerk en moes hulle vinnig aanpas by ‘n nuwe normaal.
Oberholzer meen dat die mediese personeel uitstekende opleiding ontvang het en dat Barrydale Kliniek ook uitstekend vir beide die personeel en pasiënte toegerus is.
Sy het ook met groot lof oor die emosionele ondersteuning en erkenning wat verpleegsters by Barrydale Kliniek ontvang het gepraat en hoewel die moderne verpleegster aansienlik meer verantwoordelikhede het as wat die geval was toe Nightingale die soldate in Constantinople behandel het, is die uitdagings en intellektuele stimulasie van die beroep deel van die rede waarom Oberholzer dit al vir meer as ‘n leeftyd doen.
Toe News62 haar vra of Internasionale Vepleegsterdag ook ‘n vakansie dag moet wees het die vermoedelike glimlag in ‘n onbetwisbare skaterlag verander.
“Nee asseblief nie, ons sal ons dan die volgende dag oor ‘n mik moet werk om weer op te vang.”
News62 gebruik dan ook hierdie geleentheid om al die verpleegsters op die R62 te bedank vir die voortreflike diens wat hul lewer.
International Nurse’s Day Celebrated in Barrydale
Sister Isabel Oberholzer of Barrydale Clinic, promises that is a smile behind the mask, which has over the last year become an integral part part of her daily routine.
As we know, life has changed drastically since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects that the dreaded virus has on humans are experienced first-hand by medical personnel across the globe.
Not only do they fear for the health of the community – drastic changes had to be made in their family lives and with this many personal sacrifices had to be made ensure that everyone’s safety is taken into account.
Despite all these sacrifices, Oberholzer has a smile today, the day Florence Nightingale was born, and it may have more to do with the town she serves than the fact that today (May 12) is International Nurse’s Day.
“I’ve been in Barrydale for two years now and it’s a wonderful place with salt of the earth people,” she says.
“Just the other week, a group of women decided to beautify the grounds around the clinic – so yes, I enjoy it here and we will always strive to provide the best service possible to our community.” And “Here are people who really care.”
However, In the approximately 30 years that she has been nursing there has never been such a great challenge as the one the world is currently facing right now – Covid-19 has changed the entire framework of the medical world.
Over the past year, medical staff have been working under great pressure and have had to adapt to a new normal. Oberholzer believes that the medical staff received excellent training and that Barrydale Clinic is very well equipped.
She spoke highly of the emotional support and recognition nurses received at Barrydale Clinic and although the modern nurse has significantly more responsibilities than was the case when Nightingale treated the soldiers in Constantinople, the challenges and intellectual stimulation of the profession is part of the reason why Sister Oberholzer has been doing this for more than a lifetime.
When News62 asked her if International Nurses’ Day should also be a Public Holiday, the suspected smile behind her mask turned into an undeniable laugh.
“No please, if that were the case we’d have to do extra work the following day to catch on the time we lost.”
News62 also would like to use this opportunity to thank all the nurses on the R62 for the excellent service they do.
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