The smooth running of the public health sector requires the deployment of highly organised, friendly and approachable nurses who are not only passionate but also take pride in their work. 

This is according to Titus Nguuru, a public servant in the Ministry of Health and Social Services one of the few male nurse professionals to have found a niche for himself in the female-dominated field, a position, he says, fits him like a glove.

For ages, the nursing profession has been dominated by females. Men were less likely to pursue the profession, and according to Nguuru, the major cause of this issue of social stereotyping is one of the contributing factors. 

He maintained that sexism and stereotypical nursing job titles, such as sister and matron that display females as a representation of the nursing profession, resulted in fewer men entering the profession in the past. 

However, he said, the field has been evolving and becoming more inclusive.

Reliving his journey in the civil service, Nguuru said he joined public service in 2016 after obtaining a certificate in nursing in Zambezi region at the Dr Richard Nchabi Kamwi Regional Health Training Centre in April 2016. 

He started his career at Nyangana Hospital in Kavango East and is currently stationed at Nankudu Clinic in Kavango West. 

He matriculated from Maria Mwengere Senior Secondary School. 

Besides being a full-time nurse, Nguuru is currently pursuing an Honours Degree in Nursing at the University of Namibia Rundu Campus.

Asked what attracted him to public service, Nguuru said, “I am from the background of Christianity and grew up as an orphan. I have learned the caring principle and passion to help and alleviate pain from others, for I know what it is”.

Among others, Nguuru pointed out job security and career opportunities as some of the pull factors, maintaining that whilst profit-based companies are prone to closure, public sector organisations have the stability of government backing.

“Government is committed to realising their staff’s potential. Like at our ministry, employees are often encouraged, if not required, to enhance their skill set by participating in training programmes, progressing their professional development or achieving external qualifications. This can lead to further career opportunities.

Like any other nurse, Nguuru is responsible for diagnosing and treating patients. His daily duties include taking patient vital signs, measurements and medical histories as well as performing physical examinations and conducting diagnostic tests.

Educating patients on how to manage their conditions, and providing emotional support to patients and their families are also some of his duties.

Nursing is a rewarding career with good opportunities for advancement, stability and compensation. It is not without drawbacks, though. 

Nguuru admits that the profession is very challenging, pointing out the nurse-to-patient ratio and work overload as some of the challenges.

“Nurses are required to work long shifts, for example, from 06h45 to 19h00 – and in those hours, you might have 30 patients in the ward when you could only be three nurses on duty, which means it is ten patients against one nurse,” he narrated.

“Second is our safety,” he added.

“Nurses are exposed to all kinds of diseases and illnesses that you can ever think of, which are transmitted in different ways, through airborne, droplets, physical contacts, fluids contact, etc, because they are nursing patients with this illness.”

Nguuru further pointed out emotional trauma, stating, “Nurses are caring for all kinds of health conditions, some which take long to recover and some which lead to death. Seeing this type of pain and death almost every day, and the fear of contracting some diseases can create emotional or internal torture, which can lead to stress or depression to some nurses”.

He, however, said it is satisfying in helping others achieve the ultimate healthy lifestyle. “Knowing that my care, touch, voice and time can help a patient make it through the night is one of the most rewarding feelings. Sometimes, it’s the little things that you do for your patient that make a difference.” 

When asked for his opinion on the perception that public servants are inefficient, Nguuru had this to say: “Some may say the public servants are unproductive; well, maybe or maybe not. There are so many different hindrances to service delivery, which people may call inefficient. For example, in nursing, if the clinic has not received the medicine ordered and the patients are returned without medicine, that means the service delivery is hindered and the public may see it as unproductive, but how is it my fault?”