Harriet Tambudzai Jere, 29, is a registered nurse who works in a paediatric ward in Malawi. She has witnessed stigmatization of nurses working in COVID-19 wards. This is her story...
I started working as a nurse in 2015 after obtaining a Bachelor of Science in nursing and midwifery from the Kamuzu College of Nursing at the University of Malawi.
I was motivated to become a nurse after visiting my late dad in hospital; he was in a ward where one nurse, alone on that shift, was caring for many patients. I started thinking that if I pursued nursing, I would be able to make a difference by reducing the problem of shortage of nurses.
When I started working as a nurse, it was not as easy for me, especially when I worked with chronically ill patients on palliative care, such as those with cancer secondary to HIV. However, I am pleased that I made the good choice to join nursing, knowing that I am trusted with people’s lives and trusted to advocate for them even when they are in a critical state.