May 12th is International Nurses Day and has been recognized and celebrated by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) since 1965. Why May 12th? Because it is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Every year in celebration of this day, ICN distributes the International Nurses’ Day Kit. This kit contains educational and informational materials, for nurses everywhere.
The team at Hodgeman County Health Center owes a debt of gratitude to our incredible team of nurses. They provide an invaluable service and truly are one of the foundations of the HCHC team. We gladly recognize and celebrate this day to show support for our team members and the amazing effort that they give, day after day! With that said, we would like to recount this last year and all that Nurses have done for us!
Challenges Facing The Nurses of Today
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world and cast a spotlight on the healthcare industry. For two long years, millions upon millions of people’s lives, social circles, careers, and more have been put on hold due to the pandemic.. Nurses have had the unfortunate circumstance of being subject to all of those challenges, while also facing incredible pressure to help those who contracted the virus.
The visibility of nurses is at an all-time high, with governments and citizens alike waking up to the reality that is being faced in the healthcare industry. Nurses are indispensable to healthcare as a whole and are truly one of the most important pieces of health services.
Frontline Workers, Risking Their Lives
The world learned what it meant to be a frontline worker. When the world was urged to avoid gatherings where the virus might propagate, nurses were tasked with handling COVID-19 patients on a daily basis.
Comprehensive studies indicated that frontline healthcare workers were at significantly higher risk of contracting COVID-19, due to a variety of factors.
Strong in the Face of Adversity
Nurses have become known as modern-day superheroes, and while we support the praise they have received, we could all use a reminder that nurses can suffer from burnout. They are constantly faced with stress and pressure, they may be exposed to acts of violence and abuse from distraught patients, and they have been isolated from loved ones for fear of passing the virus.
Nurses do the job that many of us cannot or would not. They show up to work, even though they know they are facing a monumental task. Nurses have shown us all what it means to be brave. But the world needs to appreciate their humanity, and to support them in every way that they have supported the rest of us!
Highly Trained Experts
The past year has been a great reminder of the fact that nurses are skilled, knowledgeable, highly educated professionals who provide comprehensive care, not just during a pandemic, but every single day.
Protect Our Nurses
Especially during the pandemic, the physical and mental health of Nurses was weighed against the health of the general public. While this is part of the job, it has certainly highlighted the need for better protection measures, with regards to personal protective equipment (PPE) availability and staffing to ensure manageable working hours.
PPE shortages are a deep-rooted issue, as the US is highly susceptible to supply chain issues.
Investments made in healthcare and the protection of our frontline workers will always benefit the general public in the long term. We should be doing everything we can to protect the people that risk their lives for us!
Invest in Nurses, For A Healthier Future
Nurses are a vital part of the healthcare industry. If we collectively make the choice to protect, train, and strengthen the resources afforded to Nurses, we will see a more prosperous, and much less vulnerable healthcare system in the future.
Nursing Appreciation at Hodgeman County Health Center
The team at Hodgeman County Health Center recognizes the tremendous value that our Nursing staff provides to our patients and community members. Celebrating International Nurses Day is our way of saying thanks, reminding our Nursing team that they are seen and that their effort does not go unnoticed! We strive to remind them of this not just on Nurse’s Day, but every day.
Thanks to our Nursing team, we are able to offer comprehensive wound care, acute care, and pain management services, all of which depend on their diligent and compassionate care!
Additional Resources:
2021 International Nurse Day Resource Toolkit
Included in this toolkit:
- PART ONE: Transformation to healthcare and nursing solutions
- PART TWO: Supporting nurses to leverage a better health system
- PART THREE: A vision for future healthcare
