Umlazi male nurse hailed as a hero for his exceptional patient care

31 December 2023

KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane has congratulated a male nurse from Umlazi who is "trending" on social media for treating patients with exceptional care and compassion.

The soft-spoken and media-shy Siphiwe Biyela, 53, who is an auxiliary nurse at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, is the talk of the town among grannies and younger patients alike for his magical healing touch.

And while he appreciates the positive feedback, he admits that it has taken him by surprise because, "I'm just doing my job."

It all started when one of his patients, Sinoxolo Sikhakhane wrote a moving testimonial about Biyela's nursing exploits on Facebook. "I just wanna praise him. He displays so much care for patients. Even old grannies were talking about him, saying he is so patient and full of jokes that when he's helping you, your spirit gets rejuvenated and you get healed immediately. Such is his love for his work. Keep up the good work, baba. We are grateful for your service, you deserve to be praised," she wrote.

The Umlazi-born father of five, who sports a trendy grey beard, sometimes gets mistaken for American crooner Bebe Winans. Although he can't sing "that well," he draws much fulfillment from the nursing profession, as it enables him to heal people and take away their pain.>

With more than three decades under his belt - he has been a nurse for 32 years - Biyela shared a few pearls of wisdom in patient care, with up and coming nurses.

"The main thing is to remember that the person in front of you is hurt or ailing in some way. You cannot then inflict secondary pain on them. So, yours is to do your best to be the solution to their problem."

He says it all comes down to choosing "the right manner of approach" towards patients.

"It's something that many of my colleagues have adopted as well. It's a good approach that many people appreciate. When I'm with patients, it often doesn't even feel like work. Maybe that's why I become so free and open to people. I communicate a lot with them."

With the Province well and firmly in the peak of the festive holiday season, many hospital accident and emergency wards are at their busiest, due to the heightened number of incidents involving trauma and injuries.

Biyela adopts a more pragmatic view when asked how people can stay on the safe side.

There's actually not that much that is wrong with the festive season, per se. The problem comes when you over-indulge. If people could learn how to limit themselves while having fun, they'd be safe from a lot of things. If you must indulge in alcohol, do consider where you are. Try and be in a place where, should you need to go to bed, you're able to do so easily. What leads to problems is when people indulge in whatever is in front of them, and then venture out into the public."

While urging those who accompany patients to healthcare facilities to "give us a break and the space to do our work", Biyela also encourages healthcare workers who may be overwhelmed, to speak out if they are facing challenges in the workplace or in their personal lives.

"Let us speak to our supervisors. They are the ones who know how we can get help if we are battling. Support is there."

After the Facebook post attracted dozens of comments and was shared extensively, Biyela recently had the opportunity to meet the MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Nomagugu Simelane, who congratulated him for flying the flag of the Department and his profession so high.

Following a cordial interaction, MEC Simelane said: "The work that our brother uSphiwe is doing is highly commendable. And we urge him to continue on this path. He's a good representative and an ambassador for his colleagues and the nursing profession. I’m very pleased to see such evidence of a healthcare worker who is dedicated to his work.

"When we get on public podiums, we always say that the majority of healthcare workers love their work and treat patients well, except for the few bad apples who tarnish the image of the profession, and of the Department.

And then when we meet people on the streets, they say, 'Why are you defending them? Most of them don't treat us well.' So, Sphiwe is a living example, and a great testimony to the fact that, indeed, many healthcare workers see their work as a calling to treat our fellow compatriots well. Well done. We think you really should continue doing what you do. We hope the few who are not doing well, will take a leaf out of your book and change their ways."

MEC Simelane also appealed to the more senior healthcare workers to always be on the lookout for those who are errant.

"Please take an interest in what their colleagues are doing. Those who are not doing well, call them aside and tell them that they're dragging your name through the mud. Because, when they do so, all of you get tainted with the same brush. So, please continue treating our patients well, because we're their only hope. They come to us because they have nowhere else to go."

ENDS