Provincial Cecilia Makiwane Nurse’s Recognition Award 2015

The Western Cape Government Health held its annual Cecilia Makiwane Nursing Awards ceremony on 06 November 2014 at the Stellenbosch Town Hall, Stellenbosch. The CMA awards honour, celebrate and value nurses for their contribution within the Department and society at large.
 
The Cecilia Makiwane Award was named after the first black registered professional nurse in South Africa.  In 1898, an experimental nurse’s training school was opened for black nurses at the Lovedale Mission Hospital and in 1902 a three-year nursing course was introduced at Lovedale College. Cecilia Makiwane enrolled in 1903 and on completion, was sent to Butterworth Hospital in the Eastern Cape for further training to prepare for the Colonial Medical Council examination. On 7 January 1908, after passing her exams, Makiwane was registered as the first black professional nurse.
 
“Nurses and other healthcare workers are essentially our modern day heroes who work under tough conditions at our facilities and serve a growing number of those dependent of the public healthcare system. The Western Cape Government is fortunate to be able to boast about such a caliber of nurses in the province. That is why we have award ceremonies to recognize the work and award them for their selfless commitment, not only to the Department, but also to each patient they serve every day”, said Minister of Health Dr Nomafrench Mbombo.
 
Several honors have been bestowed upon Cecilia Makiwane and show the regard with which the medical fraternity holds her. Amongst them are: a statue of Makiwane being erected in 1977 and a hospital near East London being named after her. Her pioneering work in the Health Sector in South Africa still remains relevant today. 
 
Cecilia Makiwane Awards 2015 had 12 of the best nominees chosen by their peers at their respective institutions. The 2015 group of nominees consist mainly of women who sacrificed their time and went a step further in ensuring that the health fraternity in the province remains at a high standard. A winner, second and first runner-up was identified by a panel of their peers and received a monetary reward as well as certificates and trophies. This is the biggest and most prestigious event in the calendar of the Western Cape Government Health. Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo and Head of Department, Beth Engelbrecht were the guest of honour and award the prizes to the winners.
 
Criteria:
The selection criteria included living up to the nurses’ pledge and nursing ethics; going beyond the call of duty; having a positive attitude to patients and colleagues; contributing to effective management, community outreach and research; and being part of a multi-disciplinary health care team.
 
Selection Process
1)         The institution must submit a name of the nominated individual to the nursing supervisor
2)         The identified and selected individual must meet the selection criteria
3)         The nominee and supervisor must complete a comprehensive report
4)         The candidate must submit a CV and copy of identity document.
 
Winner – Denise Booysen
Profile:
Denise Booysen started her first community project – “Mission for Vision” - when she identified the need for affordable glasses. She collected recycled glasses from other community members who no longer required their old glasses. With the help of local optometrists, those requiring glasses were sent for eye tests and received spectacles without cost to the community. Through the “MADA and Spruitdrift project – Enhancement of teamwork” she created a schedule that involved the rehabilitation team comprising of HIV, CBS and NPO’s in the area dealing with alcohol and drug abuse in school going children. She introduced an activity book which encompassed different topics and games. She involved the parents thus ensuring reconnecting the child with the parent. She has a passion for older persons and was actively involved in preparing them for the GOLDEN GAMES by Empowering the CCW’s to render an integrated healthcare service such as chronic care and adherence to their medication into this training programme and preparation for the games. Her passion for nursing extended to her selfless actions in March 2015 when she volunteered to assist in the Emergency Centre when there was a horrific accident, this ensured that the hospital did not have to call in additional staff.
 
Western Cape Provincial Nominees
1)      Margaret Lesley Prentice-Hoogervorst             (Red Cross Hospital)
2)      Sanel Viljoen                                                    (Worcester Hospital)
3)      Anne Beatrice Africa                                       (Mowbray Maternity Hospital)
4)      Dorothea Renatha Baatjies                             (Brooklyn Chest hospital)
5)      Christiana Margeret Schilder                           (Karl Brehmer Hospital)
6)      Dannelene Antonia Noach                             (Mitchells Plain Hospital)
7)      Karin Christine Kittas                                        (Harry Comay Hospital)
8)      Denise Booysen (winner)                                 (Sub-district Matzikama)
9)      Margaret Caroline Vos                                    (Swellendam Hospital)
10)   Dalene Minnies                                                (Huis Macrone Clinic )
11)   Jennifer Arendse                                              (Groote Schuur  Hospital)
12)   Bertha Bailey                                                   (Tygerberg Hospital)