Military nurses dance to bring cheer to patients battling Covid-19

The lyrics of the hugely popular It Ain’t Me remix sounded through the halls of 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria when ICU nurses put on a dance performance to bring cheer to patients fighting Covid-19 and to uplift their own spirits.

Dressed in scrubs and personal protective equipment, the nurses can be seen in a video clip dancing to the song which has gone viral on social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram.

According to the military health service, the nurses took up the dance challenge “in a bid to renew patients, their strength and endurance as health workers during the hardship they are facing”.

“The #ItAintMeDanceChallenge was also about celebrating and displaying Women’s Month in style and encouraging other females health warriors to soldier on regardless of the challenges.

“A dance challenge is a powerful artistic medium for communicating the essence of humanity. The dance allows people to express their creativity, skills and victories. It also decreases anxiety, increases self-esteem and improves psychological wellbeing.”

Capt Lorato Maphatse, an ICU nurse at 1 Military Hospital, said: “The purpose of the dance challenge is to uplift the spirit of all the health workers during the pandemic, and to deliver a strong message to the community and families of the Covid-19 patients that as health warriors we are here to give you all the support you need and to do the best of our abilities to care for your loved ones.

“As health workers, the more connection we form across different specialties to ensure excellence in patient care, the stronger our team becomes, and the easier we overcome any Covid-19 challenges.

“You need a team that knows how to work cohesively because a more confident team leads to higher output and good results.”

TimesLIVE