Nurse

INTENSIVE care unit (ICU) nurse Nur Mazimah Mohd Nazri was shocked when a heart patient who had shown signs of recovery, collapsed while chatting with her over breakfast.

The middle-aged man, never regained consciousness despite several attempts by the medical team.

“We tried our best to save him but his heart was too weak. The expression on his face as he suffered the attack kept haunting me for several days after the incident,” says the experienced nurse, who is now a deputy nurse manager at Sime Darby Medical Centre, Subang Jaya, Selangor.

While such episodes of suffering and death may affect nurses, they are expected to remain emotionally detached for that enables them to focus and continue with their other duties.

Being in the front line of patient care, Nur Mazimah deals with severely ill patients and death almost daily for the last 10 years. In fact, cleaning up a patient who is pronounced dead and dressing up the body before it is claimed by family members is very much within her job functions.

Nur Mazimah charting heart and blood pressure readings from the monitor.

The highly challenging and unpredictable work environment at the unit has Nur Mazimah and her team on high alert all the time as they have to look out for signs of abnormality for patients under their care.

Unfortunately, the public still has a wrong perception of the profession which she emphasises requires them to be alert, have observational skills and evaluate critical situations.

“Many people are still not clear about the nature of our job. Some think that our job is to feed the patients and clean them up,” she says.

When providing critical care for patients, Nur Mazimah likes to see them as her family members.

“The beauty of nursing is in the human factor and personal touch,” she says, adding that it is indeed a noble profession.

My job involves …

... looking after my patients and providing them with critical medical care. To some extent, I am allowed to take immediate action by carrying out certain medical treatments to save the patient’s life without the presence of a doctor.

Among the complex medical procedures I can perform are defibrillation treatment and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), administering scores of drugs in emergency cases, and monitoring the conditions of patients.

When I am in my uniform and as their caretaker, it’s also my responsibility to assure my patients and give them important social and emotional support at probably one of the most difficult times in their lives.

As my job also involves management, I have to do budget planning, roster, and conduct training sessions for junior staff nurses.

My morning starts with …

... making ward rounds and chatting with the patients and getting feedback from them to gauge how they are. One of my responsibilities is to make sure that the ICU ward runs smoothly and that every medical equipment we use is in perfect condition. I will also check and ensure that the staff nurses finish their tasks, and do paperwork later in the afternoon.

To qualify, you need …

... a diploma in nursing, as this is the qualification that many people entering the profession have these days.

The best person for this job ...

I would encourage young people to join the profession. However, one should not be too emotional or sensitive, as it is easy to feel demotivated when you encounter setbacks.

We need more men in the field of nursing because they are physically stronger and can help carry medical equipment and patients. But I notice that women tend to be more patient than most men. I would advise those who are interested in nursing to do some research about the profession prior to joining the health services for that will give them an idea as to the job’s nature, standards and expectations.

I love my job because …

... it gives me a sense of personal satisfaction when I see my patients recovering from an illness. Many patients thank us (the nurses) and the rest of the medical team for the care we give them. Patients and nurses sometimes end up being friends because of the trust and rapport they have. My job, inevitably, has changed my outlook on life and death.

What I dislike most …

... is when I see a patient’s conditions deteriorate. The sadness can last for a few days, even after I get home from work.

Prospects for the future …

... nursing is a very broad profession. There are many areas of specialisation that nurses can venture into, including paediatrics, neo-natal and palliative care, nephrology and haemodialysis.

Work opportunities are not confined to just hospitals. If I were to go into teaching, I have the option of working as a clinical instructor. Nurses can also opt to work overseas especially in the Middle-East where they are in demand. They are also paid well.

A millionaire by 30?

The basic salary for a junior staff nurse working in the private sector usually starts from RM2,000.