"Now I'm in love with nursing again"

Adaeze trained as an orthopedic nurse in Nigeria. After finishing nursing school in 2012 she found herself working as an assisting nurse in a clinic in Enugu State, Eastern Nigeria. The working conditions were bad.

By Chinwuba Iyizoba

At the clinic, things got worse and she left. The second job she found was in Niger Foundation Hospital.

“I got to know about Niger Foundation one evening while chatting with friends. I asked them “which is the best private hospital in Enugu?”

“NFH”

“What?”

Niger Foundation Hospital, it’s at Independence Layout.”

The next day she decided to go to NFH, and make inquiries. With memories of the difficulties of her first job still fresh in her mind, she wasn’t so sure what to expect. But when she entered the premises, she was disarmed.

"I saw flowers and manicured lawns.... in a hospital? I walked into the building and saw nurses, well dressed, smiling and friendly! A pleasant change from my first job.”

At the human resource department, she was told to apply. She applied, and was surprised when she was accepted! ”

"The first few days weren’t easy, though." Adaeze chuckled. "As a new nurse I didn’t know much about working in such an upscale hospital."

“But everyone was so friendly and ready to help. The Nurse in charge guided me through my new duties in the wards; and another taught me to deal with my tasks in the outpatient department. “

"I am deeply grateful for the good example of many of the doctors and nurses here. The cleaning staff here also teach me things. I am constantly amazed at the level of human refinement. Now I am in love with nursing again.”

But she first fell in love with nursing at the age of 8, while caring for her sick grandmother.

“It all started when I came to live with my Grandmother," Adaeze said, smiling and brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.

“Grandma was sick on and off, I had to be ready to be the nurse at a moment’s notice. I found to my surprise that I had a natural knack for nursing, and that I could be by her bedside all day without feeling worn out. “

Adaeze has 5 siblings and as the only girl, and having to prepare meals for 8 people daily, she learnt cooking in short order.

“For me, it wasn’t really a problem. I love cooking.”

She and her brothers had lots of fun together.

“My brothers and I have a special relationship and we love one another very much. Birthdays are fun-filled. The tradition is that the one celebrating buys things for the others, while the rest pretend to have forgotten, all the while keeping presents secret, until he begins to share out his. Then he gets a present from everyone else. It never fails to surprise and delight.”

"My mom and dad’s marriage is now 32yrs old, I must say they have lived as a good couple. And the way they brought us up really helped me to appreciate my life. Though we weren’t rich, we had everything we needed, because we had each other. Apart from cooking, I also like reading a lot; hardly a day goes by without my reading something.”

It was a few months after she began working at NFH that a friend and colleague invited her to a center of Opus Dei, after work hours, and she went.

“I was thrilled and so impressed with the Center. The girls were neat and well dressed, and the atmosphere so amiable. I was pleasantly surprised. “

Opus Dei’s women Center welcomes women and girls of all social backgrounds, young and old, rich and poor, helping them develop personally and spiritually.

“Opus Dei's message of sanctification of daily work has deeply impacted my attitude to work and helped me grow professionally as a nurse.”

“My relationship with other people has improved for the better since I began attending the means of formation at the Center."

“For instance, I used to be quarrelsome, ready to fight whenever I felt unjustly treated or my rights trampled on. These days, I let things pass. And it doesn’t mean I don't know my rights, I do know my rights, but I have learnt that at times, it is better to let things pass so that peace may reign."

“Each day, sanctification of my work is typically at the back of my mind when I show up for work. Now, even when people don’t appreciate my good work, I even have more reasons to offer it up, knowing that unappreciated good work will win me a better place in heaven.”

“Before now, when I am under stress, the quality of my work would deteriorate. But thanks to Opus Dei, I have learnt to work when I don't feel like working, and as soon as I offer it up to God, the work becomes lighter, less strenuous. It's like magic.

“At times, when I am caring for difficult patients who, no matter how hard you try, are never satisfied, recalling that I'm doing things for the love of Christ helps me to carry on. My definition of happiness is getting to know Christ better each day, and having confidence and trust in God that he will see me through. I pray that the man I marry will love God even more than I and that he will join me in raising our children in the love of Christ.”

More information about Niger Foundation Hospital