BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE – Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital (RFM) Chief Executive Officer Mazwi Mavuso has raised concern over growing cellphone distractions and declining discipline among some healthcare workers, warning student nurses that patient care must always come first.
Speaking during a Capping and Stripping Ceremony held at Sharpe Memorial Church recently, Mavuso delivered a strong message on professionalism, ethics and responsibility in the nursing profession. “A patient should never compete with TikTok for your attention,” he told the student nurses.
His remarks come at a time when concerns continue to grow globally over mobile phone distractions in workplaces, particularly in healthcare settings where concentration and quick decision making can mean the difference between life and death.
Mavuso said healthcare institutions need professionals who are disciplined, alert and fully committed to patient care, not workers distracted by social media and careless behaviour. “We are seeing nurses who refuse to wear their badges and uniforms appropriately. We are seeing professionals wanting the salary of nursing but avoiding the identity and ethics of nursing,” he said.
He also warned against substance abuse and impaired conduct within the profession, saying nurses carry the trust of communities and must always present themselves responsibly. “When people see you, they must feel safe,” he said.
Drawing from his own experience as a former student of Southern Africa Nazarene University, Mavuso said he once sat where the students were seated and understood the demands and sacrifices required in healthcare training. “I stand before you as a former student of this very institution. I once sat where you are seated today,” he said.
He described the capping and stripping ceremony as more than tradition, saying the caps and stripes symbolised sacrifice, accountability and public trust. “The cap you receive is not decoration. The stripe you wear is not fashion,” he said.
Mavuso urged the student nurses to see nursing as a calling centred on compassion, discipline and service to others. “The communities you are going to serve do not merely require skilled hands. They require caring hands,” he said.
He further stressed the importance of infection prevention, proper documentation and critical thinking in healthcare, saying disciplined nurses play a major role in protecting communities during outbreaks and public health emergencies.
“Your vigilance may one day stop an outbreak before it spreads. Your documentation may save lives,” he said.
Mavuso also acknowledged the sacrifices made by parents and guardians in supporting the students through their studies, saying the achievement belonged to families as much as it belonged to the student nurses.
As he concluded his address, he reminded the students about the heavy responsibility attached to the nursing profession.
“One day, someone will place their mother in your hands. One day, someone will trust you with their child,” he said. “Never treat this calling casually.”
