Touching tribute to nurse who died 48-hrs after her graduation

……you are dust and to dust, you shall return. – Genesis 3:19.

Tuesday 24th November 2020 was the darkest day of our lives when we received a call that Mouricia was involved in a fatal accident at 7:40 pm on her way to work.

When we rushed to the scene and saw her, we could not believe what we saw. The ever beautiful smiling Mouricia was reduced to a sight that is unsightly. We could not believe that the resplendent pure-hearted lady could be reduced to nothingness within a snap of a finger.

Mouricia, on the very morning of your demise, when the morning staff came to take over from you, you gladly said: “We are going home.” Little did we know that you were actually going home!

Abdul Salim Tiyumba has a famous saying about death: Death is a coward. It always attacks you unprepared. Indeed, we the staff of Tamale West Hospital share the import of this saying today. We had plans for our beloved colleague and she had more plans for herself. Mouricia had plans to buy a car because she felt commuting to work on a motorbike was not very safe. She had plans to start a fugu business.

She had graduated from University for Development Studies and passed on 48 hours later. She had plans for her newly acquired certificate. And of course, she had plans of settling down with a Christian god-fearing man to have children by him. Hmm! Death has perished all these plans!

Ms. Suuk Mouricia had her first appointment as a staff nurse with Ghana Health Service on 8th September 2017. She was posted to Tamale West Hospital where she started another family at work. Her first unit in the hospital was the female medical ward. She was hardworking, punctual, and dedicated to duty.

Her ability in multi-tasking was noteworthy. Nursing is both theoretical and practical; it takes a great deal of commitment and dedication to master the important lifesaving skills – Mouricia was that nurse no one will not hesitate to work with because she knew her left from right whiles at work. Dedication and commitment were her other names.

Mouricia was always fun-loving, who loves to take pictures of every moment of her life. She usually would say “life is too short not to have fun.” Barely, a month ago, she took part in the celebration of World’s Prematurity Day to commemorate pre-term babies. She was bubbling with life as she dances joyously.

Mouricia at her new ward, the children’s ward, made her colleagues laugh out their lungs. She sometimes will accuse Abdeen and Mavis of always hiding the best thermometers in their pockets whilst leaving the broken ones for her. Mouricia, all your night shifts, you preferred the NICU.

Who will replace you in the NICU? The poor babies who need diligent and delicate care will sorely miss you. Mouricia, you used to say that if we ever see you buying porridge at the hospital entrance, then it is for your mother because your mother loves millet porridge. Who will buy the millet porridge for your mother again?

Mouricia, you promised to make Franklin’s and TJ’s wedding an interesting one but you left with us uninformed in a convulsion of sadness.

Mouricia was so altruistic and passionate about her work and would usually call several times to find out the condition of her critically ill patients whiles at home. She was supposed to be resting but she was rather worried about the patients she left in the care of her colleagues. She was truly God-sent to the nursing fraternity.

Attitude is a valuable commodity in our working space. Mouricia was one in a million. She was down-to-earth with patients and had a magic-wand style of striking a cord in the hearts of her patients. It was therefore not a surprise to see her gel well with patients and their relatives as well as her colleagues at work.

There is one thing about Mouricia that even her archenemies cannot afford to admit about her. She kept a smiley face always – her always smiling face created an opportunity for patients to confide in her without hesitation – and this served as a source of healing for some of the patients psychologically.

When the accident happened, many thought she was on her way to church. Mouricia was a “church girl”. All of her Whatsapp statuses were oftentimes gospel music. She said she posting the gospel songs because her siblings love them. Even though she left us unmarried, she was spiritually married to Jesus Christ. She might have left us without a child to remind us about her but her good deeds about the Gospel of Christ will always remind us about her.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18. You heal the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3.

The demise of Mouricia leaves a big vacuum in our hearts as her colleagues but even more a greater loss to the nursing fraternity as a whole.

Mouricia, you will forever be missed. May the good Lord grant you eternal rest.

Amen!

She was 29-years-old