Celebrating nurses month: the most inspiring stories of dedication, compassion, and resilience
With all the contributions they have made to healthcare and society in general, it is but right that the world celebrates Nurses Month every May. After all, nurses are modern unsung heroes. If you are a nurse, regardless of the position you are working in, join the world in celebrating nurses! Be proud of all the compassionate and hard work that you do.
What is nurses month & how can we show our appreciation?
Every May of the year, nurses from all over the United States celebrate Nurses Month. The American Nurses Association, the organization that dedicates itself to representing nursing practitioners and pushing for better healthcare in the country, spearheaded this initiative.
Nurses Month is one way of showing appreciation for nurses who work tirelessly to care for patients. Apart from celebrating nurses month, the healthcare industry also celebrates the National Nurses Week.
Initiatives and activities aligned with National Nurses Week begin every year on May 6 and culminate on the birthday of the nursing icon Florence Nightingale on May 12. Besides celebratory events, nurses also use both the National Nurses Week and Nurses Month to highlight key issues in this often-underappreciated profession.
There are many ways how we can show our appreciation for nurses not only throughout May but all year round.
Spotlighting the incredible ways nurses have stepped up during the pandemic
At the onset of the recent pandemic, it goes without saying that the most affected sector was healthcare. Nurses were among the COVID-19 heroes who selflessly sacrificed their life and well-being to be on the frontlines in battling the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
This Nurses Month, let us take a look back and show appreciation for our COVID-19 heroes who braved the pandemic and helped the nation heal.
These pandemic heroes had to deal with many issues, most especially when the outbreak had just begun. Due to unforeseen situations and circumstances beyond their control, nurse heroes of COVID-19 significantly stepped up to ensure that everyone gets treatment amidst the spread of the infectious virus.
Nursing issues in the pandemic
To begin, nurses had to tend to patients going in despite the healthcare system being overwhelmed by the influx of people who caught the virus. Many were getting sick as due to the nature of their work, nurses were in direct contact with patients.
Nurses had to work shifts beyond the typical hours and manage a high nurse-patient ratio. They covered for colleagues who were also getting sick, and thus, had to rest to recover.
There is also the issue of not having enough medical supplies, let alone personal protective equipment (PPE). While wearing PPEs was already a challenge, they also had to make do with the existing supply at that time.
The beginning of the pandemic also saw discrimination in the healthcare sector, most especially nurses. People avoided the pandemic heroes of healthcare in fear of getting the virus from them.
The vital role of nurses in transforming healthcare for better patient outcomes
Before and beyond the pandemic, there is already a nurse impact on health care. Despite receiving the highest ratings among professionals in a Gallup study, nurses still do not get the acknowledgment and appreciation they deserve. Nurses Month and National Nurse Week are great reminders of how instrumental nurses are in patient recovery.
They play an integral role in patient outcomes. For one, they have direct communication with the patient from the moment they enter the medical facility, during their stay, and until they discharge or leave.
Nurses ensure that patients understand their health condition and treatment plan. With a better understanding, patients can work hand-in-hand with nurses and doctors on the road to recovery.
There are many positive healthcare transformation stories with nurses in the picture. Oftentimes, these are nurses who have shown kindness to patients. Nurses helped them recover not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. After all, sickness does not only affect the body but also one’s mental and emotional well-being.
Nurses advocate for their patients, treating them as human beings who are more than just their illnesses. Some even treat their patients as friends and family, especially those who have stayed in medical facilities long-term. Compassion has helped these patients during trying times.
Exploring innovative technologies that are changing nursing practices
Society is ever-changing and with that are technologies that make life easier and better. Even in healthcare, the digital transformation in the nursing field has significantly changed nursing practices. There are many nursing technology trends 2021 and to date that have expedited work for nurses.
For example, gone are the days when nurses have to manually write on charts in some hospitals. Thanks to computers and information systems, many nurses in America can now easily access and input patient information through their computers. This makes it easier for them to accomplish administrative tasks so they can focus on clinical work.
Medical equipment is also among the things that have received an upgrade. Nurses now have the option to use digital equipment that can give them quicker and faster results.
Telemedicine has also paved the way for digital transformation in nursing. Triage also occurs even when patients are seeking consultation remotely.
Nurses Month is more than just looking at the past and present contributions of nurses. It should also include looking forward and finding more innovative ways digitally to help nurse practitioners.
Highlighting unsung heroes & their selfless acts of service to society
Nurses are unsung heroes of healthcare and the backbone of patient care. Amidst the COVID-19 lockdowns, many infectious disease outbreaks, and patient surges, they have remained selfless and compassionate.
Over the years and even until the present, nurses have worked long hours to administer, assess, and monitor patient treatment. Their selflessness and dedication make them instruments for recovery.
The celebration of Nurses Month is a nice way to highlight inspirational nurse stories. Truth be told, nurses are humans, too.
Outside of their medical facilities, they are parents, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and friends. Yet, they hold in their emotions, let go of their fears, and work tirelessly to care for others — truly the unsung heroes of healthcare.
Nurses Month and National Nurses Week remind the country of how powerful nurses are in healthcare and how they can change lives one person at a time.