The Faculty of Health Sciences proudly congratulates Prof. Siedine Coetzee, NRF SARChI Chair in Nursing Science (Tier 1) and esteemed researcher at the North-West University (NWU), on her election to the board of the Academy of Nursing of South Africa (ANSA) – a distinguished recognition of her leadership and lifelong contribution to the advancement of nursing in South Africa and beyond. 

Prof. Coetzee’s appointment holds deep personal and professional significance. She participated in the early development of ANSA in 2010, while serving as a project manager for the Forum of University Nursing Deans in South Africa (FUNDISA) and completing her PhD in Nursing Science. She also attended the official launch of ANSA on 3 August 2011, where the first ANSA fellows were inducted. 

“I was inducted as a fellow in 2016, but never imagined serving on the board,” she reflects. “These were the legends in the field of nursing practice, education and research. To now contribute at this level is both humbling and inspiring.” 

Her election coincides with a significant milestone in her academic career – the renewal of her NRF SARChI Chair in Nursing Science and its upgrade to Tier 1 (2025–2029) for her research programme, Southern Africa, Nurse, Organisation, Patient and System Outcomes (SANOPSys). Through this platform, Prof. Coetzee aims to collaborate with leading scholars, organisations and policymakers to influence nursing education, practice, research and policy at national, regional and international levels. 

As a board member, Prof. Coetzee shares ANSA’s vision to raise nursing as a scholarly and practical discipline. Her focus will include advancing the strategic aim of ANSA to recruit and empower emerging nurse leaders to take influential roles in health education, research and policy. 

Two of her SARChI projects – the Future Nursing Professors Programme and an initiative to document the stories and contributions of retired nursing leaders – will now align closely with the objectives of ANSA. 

“We have seen many retirements in nursing academia,” she explains. “It is vital that we pool our expertise and resources to train the next generation of nursing professors collaboratively, rather than working in silos. At the same time, we must preserve the legacy of those who came before us and capture their wisdom, experience and impact for future generations.” 

Prof. Coetzee remains deeply committed to improving the practice environment for nurses across South Africa – a key focus of her ongoing research. 

“My research shows that most nurses love their profession. It is not the job itself that affects their well-being or patient outcomes; it is the environment in which they work, and that is something we can change.” 

With nurses making up 56% of the nation’s healthcare workforce, she believes their collective voice can transform not only the profession but also the wider healthcare system. 

“If we improve the conditions in which nurses work, we enhance their well-being, patient safety, organisational performance and the healthcare system as a whole.” 

Prof. Siedine Coetzee