"Not on My Watch": SA Nurse Shares 5 Alternative Career Paths for Unemployed Qualified Nurses

• Lesego Michelle Rampage posted a video sharing five alternative career paths for newly qualified nurses struggling to find bedside roles
• The video pointed to opportunities at companies like Discovery, Dis-Chem, Clicks and Affinity telehealth services
• Unemployed nurses flooded the comments section asking for help and sharing their own job search struggles

A South African nurse named Lesego Michelle Rampage took to Facebook on 29 September 2026 with a message aimed squarely at newly qualified nurses sitting at home without work. Her video, filmed against a bright yellow wall, laid out five alternative careers that nurses can pursue without the traditional hospital ward experience. She said, kicking off the career advice clip:

"I'm hearing that you guys are at home without jobs. That can be happening not on my watch."

Explore five roles for newly qualified nurses

Lesego started with managed care, describing roles such as pre-authorisation and care coordination that are available at medical aids and health insurers like Discovery and Afrocentric. She pointed out that companies in this space even hire non-clinical staff, meaning a nursing qualification gives candidates a real edge.

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Her second suggestion was clinic-based work at retail pharmacy chains such as Dis-Chem and Clicks, which she said regularly post nursing opportunities on their career portals and are open to candidates with limited clinical experience.

Third on her list was telehealth. She specifically named Affinity as a company that regularly recruits registered nurses to consult with patients over the phone during midweek shifts.

Sales representative roles came in at number four. Lesego described clinical reps as professionals who promote and educate healthcare workers and customers about medical products, citing baby milk and needle suppliers as examples. These positions, she said, actively seek people with clinical knowledge.

Rounding out the list were roles at banks and insurance companies. She highlighted claims assessor positions at organisations dealing with life cover and road accident fund claims, noting that short courses could give candidates the added edge they need when clinical experience is limited.

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She also encouraged viewers to share the video widely and asked the community to contribute any other leads they were aware of.

View the Facebook post below:

See how nurses reacted to the video

The post struck a nerve on her page, drawing responses from nurses across the country:

@Mike Mthimunye asked:

"Do you have something for a person qualified as a psychologist? Still need in-service training."

@Mafuze KaNondaba said:

"You've just gained a follower."

@Phuti Rammala wrote:

"Plug me where you are working. I'm serious, unemployed RN staying at Centurion, Pretoria."

@Nonhlanhla Dhlamini shared:

"Dumela nurse, it was so nice meeting you in person on Saturday, Lesego, at NVHP."

@Nellymchunu KaTumelo KaAmukelo commented:

"I'm unemployed staff nurse, it's been 20 years now."

@Nosi Ntshanga added:

"I am a caregiver looking for a job, please help."

More Briefly News stories on careers

• A comparison claiming that South Africans earning R30,000 a month pay tax equivalent to Germany’s top 1% sparked outrage among Mzansi viewers.
• South African entrepreneur Kay Radebe shared how she left engineering to pursue business and credited her husband with providing financial stability during the transition.
• A 24-year-old caterer from Mdantsane put her business plans on hold to help feed children in her community who went hungry during the school holidays.

Source: Briefly News