As a regular patient at a hospital on the South Coast I have observed first-hand how the working conditions for nurses have deteriorated in the past years, to the point of a potential breakdown. I completely understand their desperation, and why they have gone on strike.

Working in the nursing profession can be a very satisfying and fulfilling job, as you care for the health and well-being of other people and are not primarily concerned about making money. Being able to work as a nurse is a special gift which only few people, mainly women, are willing and able to do.

The capacity to care and to give depends of course on appropriate conditions, which need to be created and maintained by governments. If these are seriously undermined, mainly due to lack of staff, long hours and poor pay – as has happened in most Western countries in the past years partly due to the pandemic – many health workers reach the limits of their capacity, which can cause mental and physical exhaustion or even breakdown.

The question arises: who cares for the carers? Since nurses have no powerful representation in government, and because nursing is not an activity from which big profits can be made, the chances for improved working conditions and better pay have always been very low.

While many politicians these days tend to be more concerned with their own well-being than that of society, and governments around the world have other, above all economic priorities, it is up to society at large, guided by the nursing association, to get active and do something about this essential profession – which most of us rely on at some stage in our lives.

Nursing is a major contributor to our quality of life, as it helps to ensure a positive balance between sickness and health. Therefore, it is necessary to ‘invest’ appropriately and wisely in medical care, and make sure the nursing profession remains a healthy one.