In Celebration of Nurses

Nurses’ Week is upon us, and this year, in the midst of this Covid 19 pandemic, it seems especially fitting to celebrate nurses, those quiet heroes who walk among us. For in every hospital around the world, it is a nurse who works feverishly to stem the tide of death and disaster that the virus has wrought. And in the midst of that horror, it is a nurse who will lean in and gently whisper, You’ll be okay. Hold my hand.

That degree of commitment to patients happens, not just during overwhelming newsworthy tragedies such as COVID 19, but in every hospital every minute of the day. For whose life hasn’t been touched by a nurse?  It is a nurse who will be with us in those moments of crisis, a nurse who will guide us through the confusing maze of modern healthcare. It is invariably a nurse who will remember to ask your name as she struggles to save your life. It is a nurse who will call a code, comfort a family, and sit with a patient who has no one to visit.  It is a nurse who will cradle a dying baby, soothe a mother’s worries, and tend to a child’s cuts and bruises.  It is a nurse anesthetist who will put us to sleep for surgery, an OR nurse who will watch over us in the OR, and a PACU nurse who will gently wake us up.  It is a nurse practitioner who will find the cause of that lingering cough, an ER nurse who will resuscitate your loved one, and a clinic nurse who will teach you how to manage your diabetes.  It is a nurse administrator who will see that your hospital runs smoothly, a risk management nurse who will explain the legal labyrinth to you, and a nurse epidemiologist who will track the source of your infection.  And at the end of your days, it is a hospice nurse who will remember that you still matter. It is now and always a nurse who will stay by your side, and comfort you when you need it most.

Today, nurse’s specialties are as varied as the populations they serve, and regardless of their area of expertise, at the end of the day, nurses are indeed an impressive group. It is no surprise then that nurses are the group who most frequently top the most respected list in Gallup’s annual poll on honesty and ethical standards.

And this week, as I stand with them, these women and men who change the world every minute of every day, my breath will surely catch in my throat, for I am one of them.

I am a nurse.

11 Comments

  1. Marcia on May 6, 2020 at 10:15 am

    Thank you for all you do ❤️
    Stay safe ❤️🙏

  2. Jeannie Delisle on May 6, 2020 at 11:17 am

    So well written Roberta, it gave me chills.Especially, during this pandemic and people finally realize how valuable a nurse is. She is the eyes and ears of the doctor but at times the doctor is the one most praised. You said it so eloquently and included all specialties of nurses. I must also include the nurses assistants too because they also work so very hard and often go unnoticed. They too are always at the bedside to lend a helping hand to the patients when they need it. It is quite a team, when we all work together!! Way to go!! Happy Nurses Day!! Thank you for all you do each and every day!! ❤️😘🙏

  3. Arline on May 6, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    As usual so well said, proud to be a nurse who has worked next to you. Proud to call you my friend.

    • Peggie on May 6, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      Beautiful Roberta!

  4. Ellen Hayes on May 6, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    It’s certainly the truth! You are the cornerstones of the healthcare system. Underrated and underpaid but devoted anyway. We celebrate all of you and thank you for your service!

  5. Ronnie Hannon on May 6, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    Roberta, you have a gift of expressing what many of us are feeling. May God always bless you. You’re a treasure and I am so grateful to know you.

  6. Maureen Curtis Cooper on May 6, 2020 at 7:19 pm

    Beautifully said. Happy Nurse Day Roberta

    • Pat Kimball on May 7, 2020 at 9:15 am

      You nailed it Roberta..Love that we are Boston City Nurses 🤗💕

  7. Elizabeth Gibb on May 6, 2020 at 7:25 pm

    Even tho we no no longer work side by side, you are the first “hero” (who happened to be a nurse) that I ever knew. You traveled to war torn areas around the world, you ministered to those in need before the media was Talking about it.
    Roberta, you are My friend, colleague, my inspiration, and my hero. And you have changed
    My world in the most positive ways imaginable.
    Thank you❤️

  8. Carol Cronin on May 7, 2020 at 8:29 am

    Thanks Roberta for reminding us of all this!

  9. William on May 9, 2020 at 8:12 pm

    Love this Roberta! Love you my favorite coworker!!

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