USolwazi Philda Nomusa Nzimande (ozalwa uNdlovu) uzalelwe eNtukuso e-Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, lapho athola khona imfundo yamabanga aphansi. Ngo-1961 waqeqeshelwa ukuba ngumhlengikazi jikelele nanjengombelethisi ngo-1963 esibhedlela i-McCord, eThekwini. Eminyakeni eyishumi nantathu kamuva, ngo-1976, uNomsa Nzimande wasungula ikolishi labahlengikazi. Waqhubekisela phambili izifundo zakhe emkhakheni wesayensi yobuhlengikazi futhi wathola iziqu ezinhlanu, kubalwa neziqu zokuqala ze-Masters ezanikezwa umhlengikazi omnyama waseNingizimu Afrika ngo-1982. USolwazi NomsaNzimande wayengomunye wabafundisi bokuqala babahlengikazi ukuthola iziqu zobudokotela kwezobuhlengikazi waqokelwa isikhundla sobuprofesa .
UNomsa usebenze ngokuzikhandla ukuthuthukisa amakhono abahlengikazi baseThekwini naKwaZulu Natali, kanye nokwenza ngcono izimo zokusebenza kwabahlengikazi abamnyama ngesikhathi sobandlululo nokukhuthaza ubumbano emsebenzini wakhe. Uthando, ukuzinikela nokusebenza kanzima kwakhe kwaholela ekusungulweni kwezinhlangano ezintathu zabahlengikazi futhi wayeyingxenye yezingxoxo zamaqembu ezaholela ekusungulweni kwe-Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA). IDENOSA yinhlangano ehlose ukumela abahlengikazi futhi ihlanganise nomsebenzi wabahlengikazi. Wabuye wenza ucwaningo ngezinkinga zokunakekelwa kwezempilo nomsebenzi wobunesi, futhi useshicilele nenqwaba yemisebenzi yezemfundo. Imicimbi ebalulekile emsebenzini wakhe ifaka okulandelayo:
- Ngo-1989: Umenywe kwilungu lomkhandlu wase-USA le-Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing
- Ngo-1994: Kwakhethwa usihlalo wokuqala we-Transitional Nurses Committee in South Africa
- 1995: Kukhethwe umongameli wokuqala weKwaZulu Nurses Organisation
- Ngo-1996: USihlalo Wokuqala Kazwelonke (uMongameli) WeBhodi Ehlanganyelwe Kazwelonke ye-Unified DENOSA
- Ngo-1997: Ukhethwe njengo mongameli wokuqala we-DENOSA
- Ubekwe nguNgqongqoshe Wezempilo kuzwelonke ukuthi asebenze eMkhandlwini Wesikhashana Wezokwelapha Nezifo Zamazinyo njengommeleli wabahlengikazi baseNingizimu Afrika Uqhubeke nale ndima ngo-1998.
- Ube i-Campus Representative e-Durban Umlazi Campus at the Association of Tertiary Institutions
- Ngo-2001: Kukhethwe ebhodini le-Commonwealth Nurses Federation, emele amazwe angu-14 e-East, Central and Southern Africa.
- Ngo-2012 wathola i-Recognition Award by South African Nursing Council
- Ngo-2014: Uhlonishwe i-University of South Africa (i-UNISA) ngeziqu ze-Doctor of Literature and Philosophy
UNzimande uyiphayona elaziwayo kwezobuhlengikazi nakwezemfundo nakwezokuphatha. Ngenkathi ehlonishwa yi-UNISA ngo-2014, waveza ukuthi enhliziyweni yakhe lokhu kuhlonishwa kufaka nozakwabo asebenza nabo abahlengikazi alwela nabo ukuqashelwa ngokulinganayo njengabahlengikazi eNingizimu Afrika. Engxoxweni abe nayo ne-Daily Sun, uNzimande uthe njengoba esengumhlengikazi osemncane ubona sengathi uguquko emphakathini yilokho afuna ukukulandela. Ngesikhathi ethatha umhlalaphansi, wayeyi-Vice-Dean of Arts e-Durban Umlazi Campus, University of Zululand. Ushiye ifa labahlengikazi kulo lonke elase-KZN naseNingizimu Afrika.