5 Reasons to Celebrate Nurses During National Nurses’ Week
Every year, National Nurses’ Week takes place from May 6 to May 12. The final day of National Nurses’ Week is of particular significance because it’s Florence Nightingale’s birthday, arguably the most famous nurse of all time.
The history of National Nurses’ Week dates back to 1953 when Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare proposed to President Eisenhower to create a day that celebrates nurses. However, it was 20 years later in 1974 when President Nixon would acknowledge the nursing profession with a designated week in February. Eventually, May 6 was declared National Nurses’ Day and the week was changed from February to May,
In 2022, the theme of National Nurses’ Week was “Nurses Make a Difference” and boy, do they ever. We’re happy to celebrate nurses every May to honor all of the hard work and sacrifices they make to help the community. Here are five reasons why nurses make a difference and why they are always worth celebrating.
1. They Are Sometimes the First Medical Professional You See
Why are nurses important? When you’re scared, anxious, happy, or sad, nurses are usually the first ones you see before other medical professionals. and they serve as the patients’ advocates. They listen and help empower patients to take control of their health. They can also answer your questions and provide important information to doctors.
2. They Are Sometimes the Last Medical Professional You See
California hospice care nurses, or those nurses in palliative care, work with patients dealing with end-of-life services, specifically by helping them remain comfortable. A hospice care nurse might not provide treatment to prolong a patient’s life, but their service is often that of helping the patient be pain-free during their final days. These nurses can also be a friendly face, too. There are many California community-based palliative care organizations that support these specific types of nurses and their very special role at the end of a person’s life.
3. They Have to Handle All Kinds of Situations
Work life can be an emotional roller coaster for nurses, where one minute they might be helping deliver a baby or the next they might be delivering bad news. Nurses are equipped to juggle everything from paperwork to handling vitals, and they do it while remaining composed so that they can help their next patient. They have to have a crucial combination of intelligence, empathy, and a good listening ear. Nursing is a profession that is not for everyone because you have to be able to stay cool under pressure and stress.
4. Their Advocacy
Nurses like those in the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, which is made up of 11,000 nurses, provide important public policy information on issues related to healthcare, with the goal to positively impact patients and their well-being at a national level.
5. They Work to Help Others
What other job is there where the sole objective is caring for the health and well-being of others? Nurses want what’s best for their patients and are passionate about improving their patients’ lives in some capacity. People who go into nursing do so because they want to make a difference in people’s lives and because they care about people. They often challenge their patients to lead healthier lives and provide motivation for them to get better or stronger.
Compassionate Cremation Services
We here at Opal Cremation are so very thankful for all that nurses in the SoCal region and beyond do for the community. They are team players who always want what’s best for their patients and have to work with a variety of different medical professionals and personalities to make an impact. Whether it’s hospice care or helping a child with their first checkup, nurses are those special people who hold our hand through life’s scariest moments and we’re forever grateful for them.
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