Two trainee nurses in Namibia are facing disciplinary action after they posted a TikTok video that shows them dancing inside a health clinic. The nurses explained that they were celebrating after successfully assisting a patient in delivering a baby. The Welwitchia Health Training Centre, a privately owned institution, described the dancing as unacceptable behaviour and summoned the nurses to appear before a disciplinary panel. Namibia’s main students’ union has called for a fair hearing in the case.
In the video, Charmaine Keandra and Smart Muranda can be seen in their nursing uniforms dancing in front of an empty patient bed. The video was reportedly recorded two weeks ago in the health centre.
One of the students explained to The Namibian newspaper, “The patient was taken to the theatre, was operated on, and the baby was fine, and she [the mother], was also fine. After that, because we were happy, we decided to make a TikTok video.”
The video, which garnered hundreds of comments and was widely shared, has since been deleted by the student who posted it. In a letter, the Welwitchia Health Training Centre accused the two trainee nurses in Namibia of disobeying the student code of conduct and bringing the institution’s reputation into disrepute.
The Student Union of Namibia (Sun) has criticised the health institution, alleging double standards. They cited instances where nurses were seen participating in dance challenges on various platforms but were not dismissed.
Sun’s president, Benhard Kavau, stated, “Our understanding is that a happy nurse is a productive nurse, regardless of the code of conduct of the university.” He argued that the students should be warned and informed about when it is appropriate to take videos instead of facing suspension. Kavau added that the union is prepared to take legal action if their demands are not considered.
According to the union’s leader, the students appeared before the disciplinary committee on Friday.
