International Nurses Day is celebrated annually around the world on May 12 and, as Florence Nightingale was born on 12 May 1820, this year marks the 200th anniversary of Nightingale's birth.
International Nurses Day is celebrated annually around the world on May 12 and, as Florence Nightingale was born on 12 May 1820, this year marks the 200th anniversary of Nightingale’s birth.
Every minute, every hour, every day, people around the world depend on nurses for their health and wellbeing. That’s been true for centuries, but it’s perhaps never been more true than it is today. When we think of the super-heroes we grew up with, they ran toward challenges to help people and make a difference in the world.
Nurses, through hard work, dedication, and – often – sacrifice, run toward challenges and help people to make a difference in the world every day. Today, nurses are putting themselves and their health at risk to care for those in need.
Around the globe, you can find residents joining in on the so-called “Citywide Claps,” cheering on healthcare workers and first responders in a reflection of gratitude for their courage and bravery. As Nurses Week commences on May 6 with National Nurses Day in the U.S., and ends on May 12 with International Nurses Day, I wanted to share powerful messages from the voices of some of our favorite nurses to honor and celebrate the super-heroes among us:
Charity Cox-Hayden, Chief Nursing Officer, Atlas Healthcare: “My biggest pride in my role as CNO is that I get to see the power of what nurses can do every day, and particularly during this time. I’ve never had such respect for the profession as I do today, watching how our nurses have quickly adapted without question or hesitation to a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Times have quickly changed for Nurses – elective surgeries have been suspended and then resumed, centers have had to adapt to rapidly changing surgical volume and we’ve had to fundamentally change the way in which we provide care during this challenging time. There are changes thrown at Nurses every single day, and their ability to take new information in stride and efficiently adapt their processes to deliver the safest possible patient care is nothing short of extraordinary.”
Sharon Cooper, Manager of Clinical Documentation and Appeals, Owensboro: “Today, I am thankful for the foresight, compassion, and diligent work of Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton, which allowed me to pursue my calling into the field of Nursing. Today I am also thankful for all of the excellent nurses I work with on a daily basis as we play our part in shaping the future of nursing, especially as it expands into non-traditional areas, such as clinical documentation integrity and denials management. I am very proud of the role my coworkers and I play at our local hospital, which allows us to indirectly care for each and every patient.”
Marianne Everett, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, AVP Nursing Informatics and Instructional Design and Training: “This is an exciting time to be a Nurse Informatics Specialist. More than ever, Nurses in all settings are engaging in technology-enabled care to improve both patient outcomes, user experience, and satisfaction. I’m incredibly proud to be part of a superior team of Clinical Informaticists at an organization that encourages and supports Nurses to use their voices, talents, knowledge, and partnerships to push the boundaries of our known capabilities in innovative ways to care for our patients and peers while preserving the compassionate care that makes our profession special.”
Sharon Krug, Clinical Documentation System Manager, TriHealth: “I love how the role has evolved and grown. Our society is very mobile, and fortunately, our electronic medical record (EMR) follows us wherever we go. As a nurse and CDI specialist, we need to assure that our patients’ EMRs are as accurate as possible so quality care can be given anywhere. We have become true advocates for patient safety even after they leave our hospital.”
Kelli Hill, BSN, ACM-RN, Clinical Documentation Improvement Manager, North Mississippi Medical Center: “I consider myself a different kind of nurse than I once was. I have grown tremendously over my nursing career. I love being a nurse, it’s truly a calling and not something you get into for any reason other than you are willing to help others at their happiest and saddest times. The hospital is a strange place, people have their happiest moments at the same place they can have their saddest. As a nurse, I sit back and know that I could be on either side of that spectrum at any time. It’s about being a human, having a connection, and helping others with compassionate care, the same way you would want someone to do for you.”
To all nurses across the globe, we recognise and thank you for the work that you do.
