MEET PROFESSIONAL NURSE MAGGIE MLANGENI
As Renal Nursing Specialist and Unit Manager of the new Mediclinic Renal Services Clinic in the heart of Soweto, Professional Nurse Maggie Mlangeni is proud to be at the forefront of providing top-class care in her community.
Confident. Assertive. Hardworking. Just three words Professional Nurse Maggie Mlangeni uses to describe herself. These qualities have clearly helped her along the path to professional excellence. Growing up in the small Free State town of Warden, Mlangeni found her calling by chance while at secondary school.
Inspired to nurse
It was during those school years that she faced her own health challenge. “In 1982 I was admitted to the Natalspruit Hospital, in Katlehong,” she recalls. “I received the best nursing care from the registered nurses. They were so neat in their uniforms and their behaviour inspired me to become a nurse one day when I finished school.”
After matriculating, Mlangeni pursued her dream. She applied for and was accepted into a four-year Nursing Diploma at QwaQwa Nursing College in the Free State in 1989 – and that’s when she knew she was on track to building a successful nursing career.
Providing kidney care
Along her nursing journey, Mlangeni developed a passion for attending to patients with kidney disease, and decided to specialise in nephrology nursing. This offered her a competitive advantage. “I specialised because I wanted to empower myself with new skills and the knowledge I needed to provide better quality service to renal patients,” she says.
“It’s an honour to have brought this service to the people of Soweto,” she continues, referring to its new Mediclinic Renal Services Clinic. The clinic is one of a series of Mediclinic dialysis centres opening up within local communities. This is part of Mediclinic Renal Services’ commitment to expanding its spectrum of quality care to communities that until now have not had access to it. “Mediclinic has succeeded in ensuring access to healthcare for the people of Soweto,” says Mlangeni. “This is an opportunity to serve patients with love and to promote their health.”
What does a unit manager do?
As Unit Manager of the new Mediclinic Renal Services Clinic in Soweto, Mlangeni’s responsibility is to:
1. Provide patient care in accordance with the Good Clinical Dialysis Standard.
2. Manage risk in the unit for staff and patients by following infection prevention control policies.
3. Manage staff, assist with tasks and promote a pleasant and peaceful working environment by encouraging open communication in the unit.
4. Liaise with doctors and other stakeholders.
Patient-centred approach
No matter what obstacles she may encounter or how demanding her job may be, Mlangeni remains committed to serving others. “As a professional I’m dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of renal patients,” she says. “Yes, challenges are always there. But what keeps me going is the passion that remains within me, as well as my motto: ‘My patient will always be my first consideration.’”
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Image: New Media
