National Nurses Week: Have You Thanked a Nurse Today?

Did you know that this week is National Nurses Week? It’s time to give your favorite nurse a hug and tell them how much you appreciate all that they do. Frederick News Post’s Ashley Andyshak wrote a thoughtful editorial highlighting local nurses and their dedication in the face of a nationwide nursing shortage.

Last week, I asked Reimer and two of her FMH colleagues, Susan Baldwin and Linda Hicks, what they like about nursing.

Nurses aren’t limited in what they can do, Reimer said. Since there are so many types of nursing jobs, from the operating room to the classroom, trained nurses have their pick of jobs, she said.

The problem with nursing is the future of the profession, Reimer said. Nurse educators are in short supply, mostly because such jobs don’t pay well enough, she said. According to the National League for Nursing, nursing schools turned away 147,000 qualified applicants in 2005, in part because of a dearth of educators.

Do you long to be part of this week’s honors? Do you think you have what it takes to be a nurse? Andyshak also asked her highlighted nurses what sort of personality makes the best person for the job.

So what does it take to be a good nurse? The three named a caring conscience, a Type A personality, and the desire to constantly learn.

A nurse is also dedicated. This dedication can be seen in a nurse’s response to disasters like Hurricane Katrina. Nurses are the first to respond and will stay until the job is done, Reimer said.

“The patients come first,” Hicks said.

Nursing is also more than a paycheck, Reimer said.

“It’s what I am,” she said. “It’s not just a job. I can’t not do it.”

If you do think you have what it takes, look into some of the best nursing schools and learn how to get started. Someday, someone could be thanking you.

Tags: careers, National Nurses Week, nursing, top nursing schools