“I get to serve and help people, and that fulfils me as a person,” says clinical nurse practitioner Sister Shirlly Baloyi of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Student Health Services in the Department of Student Affairs. She chats more about herself.

Tell us about your job – what do you do on a daily basis? 

I am a clinical nurse practitioner and I work under the Department of Student Affairs at UP. My tasks include family planning for students, and administering medication and minor ailments. I also counsel students and formulate healthcare material with which to educate students about things that they can treat easily. 

Did you always want to be a nurse? 

No – my dream was to be a medical doctor. I’ve always loved helping people. In fact, the sight of blood or sickly people never used to intimidate me. It was just unfortunate that I could not get into medicine as my matric results were a barrier, but I made the most of the lemons I got. I decided to enroll for a Bachelor of Nursing degree at the University of Venda; I also hold a postgraduate diploma in Nursing Education and Administration from the University of Johannesburg. While I could not fulfil my dream of being a doctor, I still get to serve and help people, and that fulfils me as a person. 

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I grew up in a small village in Limpopo called Nwamatatani. It is quite rural and has never had exposure to a lot of things. Topics like menstruation, family planning and sexual intercourse were a no-go area with my parents; they never spoke about it and I knew never to ask about it. I had to figure it out on my own and I often wished for someone to guide me on how to navigate the changes I had experienced as a teenager. 

Being a nurse allowed me to change the narrative, to be able to talk with a student about anything, not just as a nurse but also as a mother. I appreciate being able to help young girls learn about themselves and help them deal with any difficulties they may have.  My job allows me to be the person that the younger me needed. I pride myself on being able to sit with a student for two hours or so, and talk and teach them about things I wish I had known at their age. Getting to be interactive with students allows me to learn, too. It’s not just about teaching; I also allow myself to learn. 

What do you enjoy least about your job? 

We are quite short-staffed and that affects the quality of the work I produce. If there is a long queue, I’m unable to sit with a student for as long as needed to get to the root of the cause. But because there are a lot of people, I treat and move along. I do not enjoy quick-fix consultations because that same student will come back, as I would not have had the time to attend to the root cause of an issue. 

Which UP pillars do you resonate with? 

Impact and Live: I love and enjoy my job, and I think that allows me to strive for excellence and offer a service that will have a positive impact on someone. Being able to be more than a nurse, to also be a mother or sister, makes an impact. I know how it feels to be stranded and need someone to talk to about things most people consider awkward and private. Paying it forward really inspires me. 

I used to work at a public clinic before I came to UP. The clinic did not have an ARV site where we could administer drugs, and I had to come with a site for the clinic. That made a huge difference; even the patients appreciated it. 

What can be done to improve operations in your division? 

Having more nurses within the division would greatly improve things as well as allow us to work efficiently and produce a quality service. 

Any words of encouragement for the UP community? 

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. Always try to stretch yourself; step out of your comfort zone; and be of service that you can pride yourself on. Oh, and most importantly, always lead from a place of kindness.