Unrecognized Heroes: The important role nurses play in our community.

Nurses do so much for our communities on a daily basis, yet they often don’t receive recognition for it. That’s why from May 6^th – 12^th, we celebrate National Nurses’ Appreciation Week.

This week was founded to commemorate Florence Nightingale’s birthday, the woman famous for providing treatment to countless wounded soldiers during the Crimean war and establishing nursing as a profession. Over the years, it has become a larger event, and today people all across the country are stepping up to honor nurses and show them just how much they matter. 

As part of this week, we wanted to honor the nurses in our own community. Nuvision spent this morning at the CHOC Children’s Hospital giving out KIND bars to the nursing staff. We let them know they are appreciated and included a note thanking them for their “KIND”ness.

Honoring the heroes in our community is something we love to do at Nuvision, from the military and veterans to first responders, and of course, nurses. These hidden heroes work tirelessly for our benefit, but do you really know the extent of what they do?

Nurses are more than just doctors’ assistants. They’re lifesavers.

Most of the time, when somebody pictures a nurse, they think of the person helping the doctor or checking them in at the ER. But being a nurse is so much more than that.

Nurses are caregivers, councilors, educators, record keepers, and medical experts all rolled into one. They often spend more one-on-one time with patients, and as a result, have a unique understanding of their conditions. This makes them something of an advocate, who can alert the doctor to specific needs of the patient they otherwise wouldn’t have seen. It also puts them in the position to provide emotional support, not only to the patient, but to the families. Nurses educate families on the intricacies of illnesses and provide comfort when the news is not so good.

You can’t put a price tag on compassionate care.

We like to quantify societal contributions in terms of money and economic impact, but Nurses’ contributions are invaluable.

 Without a nursing staff, hospitals would not be able to function. Their unique skillset—compassion, caregiving expertise, communication skills, and extensive medical background—makes it difficult to find others to fulfill the varied roles they must play.

They’re not just confined the hospital. Nurses can be found in assisted living homes, schools, or rehabilitation centers, and even private homes.

While nurses might work in different places, they all have one thing in common: a passion for helping their community. These tough individuals dedicate their lives to the profession, working long shifts and even sacrificing their family time, weekends, and holidays for the sake of their patients.

The mark of a hero: A selfless attitude and personal sacrifice

They might be behind the scenes. They might not be the highest paid or most renowned. But chances are, a nurse has touched your life or the life of somebody you know.

This week, we’re hoping to encourage you to join us and honor nurses as well. Their work is incredibly important. Although we loved seeing their faces light up as we gave them goodie bags this morning, the few gifts we’ve offered today can’t begin to thank them for all they do.

We all need to step up and recognize the impact these individuals have. Nurses will always make sure you know somebody cares, so let’s care for them.