Written by Jeff Smith
National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and runs through May 12th - over the course of 7 days, a huge range of events are put on across the U.S. to honor nurses. The celebration ends each year on Florence Nightingale’s birthday, the woman who is credited as being the founder of modern nursing.
For the past 16 years, nursing has been rated the most honest and ethical profession, so this week is when we show appreciation for everything nurses do for us and our loved ones. Hospitals and facilities all over the nation offer special gifts of appreciation to their nursing staff. Nurses are also extremely important to the in-home care industry, and to show appreciation for nurses and all that they do, we are going to share one story that highlights one of these incredible people to help show what makes nurses so special.
The Inspiration of Nursing
Cheryl spent 20 years traveling the world with her husband while he was active duty in the Navy. They had three children during those years - all of which grew up as Navy babies - living in multiple cities and countries, and always on the move. Cheryl cleaned the house, made dinner, took the kids to school. She held a constantly moving home together with the sheer power of her maternal love on a single income, in foreign lands, without her family back home to lean on.
So, what does a woman with so much love to give do when they come back home, after 20 years of being her family's rock? She becomes a nurse of course! Cheryl got her CNA license not long after returning home to Okeechobee, a small town in Florida, and began working at a local nursing home. She supplied compassionate care to every single patient she met, but she realized that her ability to help was being limited by her license as a CNA, she wanted to do more, so she immediately began pursuing her nursing degree. Cheryl had truly found her calling in caring for others.
What Nurses Are Made Of
Being a mother of 3 while living 45 minutes out of town and holding down a full-time CNA job isn’t easy. Add in nursing school, and it’s a miracle that she managed to make it through, but at no point did Cheryl ever show her stress. The sheer force of will required for a woman to go through the pressure she was going through, all while never missing a single little league game, opportunity to go above and beyond for a patient, or nursing class is staggering. She did it because she is a nurse, and that’s the kind of stuff that nurses are made out of.
One of the single proudest moments of her life, and for good reason, is the day she graduated nursing school. The pay was obviously a huge bonus, especially for a 5-person family, but more than anything she was finally empowered to give even more care to her patients. Cheryl has been a full-time RN for over a decade now, and she has never wavered on her dedication to caring for every single patient that walks through the door of the facility she is in. She has worked at a nursing home, home health company, and the local hospital in various roles including the admin role she is in now.
A Nurse's Love
Cheryl has more cringe-worthy medical stories than anyone probably should, the kind that nurses share like badges of honor. She’s seen enough blood, vomit, and various other fluids to last a lifetime, and dealt with enough people to give a licensed psychiatrist a run for their money. All of these things might make the job seem like a chore, but Cheryl loves her job and loves that she is has worked her way to be the veteran nurse that doctors consistently call on, and other nurses come to for advice. She has worked hard to be where she is today, however, one thing hasn’t changed from the start.
The one constant that has always stood from the moment she decided to get a CNA certification to the dedicated position she holds now, is a nurse’s love. Nobody is beyond saving, and every single patient deserves the type of care that only a nurse can provide. But she is so much more than just a nurse at the local hospital. She’s the medical journal for her entire extended family, the matriarch that everyone comes to for everything from a stubbed toe to a hernia, and everyone’s go to “does this look a rash” person. She is a nurse in the truest form, and an incredible, dedicated, and caring individual.
Thank You Nurses!
Women and men like Cheryl exist in the nursing field all over the world, people that place the wellbeing of others in front of their own. Pulling back-to-back-to-back 12 hour shifts to make sure that their patients get the care they need. As inspiring as her story is, it is one that been repeated a thousand times over by others in her field. It’s not a matter of coincidence that incredible men and women across the world find themselves in nursing. It is a profession absolutely filled with strong, beautiful souls.
The truth is, nursing could not be done by anyone else, so we should thank our lucky stars every day that people with the capacity for this type of compassion exist. This National Nurses Week be sure to thank a nurse for everything they do!
If you or your loved one believe that a certified care provider would be the correct fit for your circumstances, contact us today. We refer qualified, screened, care providers that are compassionate and ready to help. Contact us to schedule your free in-home consultation to discuss which care options are right for you and your family.
