POINT-MAKING:  A student from SG Lourens Nursing College makes a point on what will really bring back nobility to the nursing profession. 

By Sibongiseni Delihlazo

Student Representative Council (SRC) at Ann Latsky Nursing College held a mouth-watering inter-Collegiate Debate at its Main Auditorium on 20 June 2015, where as part of Youth Month, two debate topics raised more discussions even beyond the Debating venue. v replica watches

Such heated debate the contest was that Acting Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer in Gauteng, Dr Elizabeth Kaye-Petersen, ended up spending the whole Saturday listening to the well-researched and informed views from student nurses of all levels. She was to attend from the morning until 12h00, but could not leave the debate. Three colleges were exchanging the stage against each other on the day: Ann Latsky Nursing College, Chris Hani Baragwanath Nursing College and SG Lourens Nursing College. 

The question of moving nursing education to the Department of Higher Education and whether this move will bring back the nobility of the profession was the second round of debate and was Ann Latsky that locked horns with SG Lourens on the topic, which gave adjudicators a tough time.  

Some argued strongly that going back to the basics, sticking to Batho-Pele principles and placing more emphasis on 6 Ministerial Priorities are what will bring back nobility to the profession, not a move to the other department.

Others, on the other hand, argued equally that a degree qualification means that you will reach your highest management echelons and you will be fulfilled with such achievement personally and that students are at colleges wanting more education. 

Other student countered this with the point that one’s level of education has nothing to do with the impact that nurses have on their patients, raising fears that being sophisticated and more theoretical than experiential may exacerbate the risk of lack of nobility to the profession. Some said confidently that nursing is about saying ‘I care for you’ and not ‘I studied for you'. 

Both groups raised equally important points which balanced each other out: the importance of the quality of education and the essence of experiential confidence and ability to talk to patients in the language that they will understand when explaining the extent of illness to either their relatives or themselves.  

At Round Three of the debate was a tussle between Ann Latsky and Chris Hani Baragwanath Nursing College students, who tackled the much talked-about PERSAL vs BURSARY systems in nursing education. 

'Why are we here at colleges as students? ' This was the one question one group asked consistently in what became a robust and emotionally charged debate, implying that the main purpose was to study. “Everyone will know how to use a condom as there is no maternity leave in a bursary system, while students on PERSAL get pregnant midway through their studies because of the maternity leave benefit.” They raised this point as the waste of money that must not be allowed as government pumps huge sums of money to each student each year. One debater could be heard saying, “I'm done with PERSAL, and will now focus on my debate… PERSAL has benefits that are more social rather than academic!” 

Others who affirmed PERSAL cited reasons such as: 'You handle your own money and take more responsibility for your finances, and that financial security becomes less of your problems as well as that of your family'; and that one's health is taken care of in the form of Medical Aid. This point was also challenged by views such as, “We are here to study and not for money, ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen, nursing is not a scapegoat to alleviate poverty back at home!”

In the end, SG Lourens took home the trophy and medals at first place, followed by Chris Hani Baragwanath. Ann Latsky came third, despite fielding first year students who gave a good account of themselves. But on public speaking contest, Ann Latsky took the first position on career paths that one can take upon completion of studies. SG Lourens came second, and Chris Hani Baragwanath came third.  

The day proved that, contrary to popular belief, nursing will surely be in good hands. Only if general students had attended in numbers to empower themselves with such informative session. 

 End