Show Your Appreciation: 7 Reasons to Thank a Nurse

Nurses have always been the frontline workers in healthcare. They’re the first ones we see when we visit a doctor’s office. And they’re the ones who take care of us for hours on end when we’re in the hospital. Throughout the pandemic, these dedicated individuals have had to step up even more.

During this time, they're enduring long grueling shifts with fewer days off and dealing with untold suffering and uncertainty. Plus, they’re doing it all while covered from head to toe in restrictive personal protective equipment (PPE) the entire day.

Many Reasons to Thank a Nurse

May 6-12 is National Nurses Week. Here are just 7 of the thousands of reasons nurses deserve our appreciation.

Nurses Have A Range of Medical and People Skills

Nurses know how to plump a pillow just right and how to encourage a reluctant patient to get up to walk the halls after surgery. But they also know how to administer IVs and medicines, check vital signs, recognize concerning symptoms, and much more. They are often the people most in tune with a patient’s health condition and whether it's improving.

Nurses Truly Listen and Answer Our Questions

While doing their daily rounds, doctors stop into each room for a few minutes to check on patients and update instructions for the nursing staff. The rest of the time, it’s the nurses that are fully present for the patients. They're responding quickly to every push of the call button and answering any other questions they might have.

Nurses Are Effective Patient Advocates

They aren’t afraid to speak up on behalf of their patients – to doctors and hospital administration, and also to well-meaning family members or friends who keep patients up past visiting hours.

Nurses Work Marathon Shifts with Little Downtime

Most nurses in hospital settings work 10- or 12-hour shifts for days in a row. Tasked with caring for several patients at once, they move quickly from room to room, barely having a chance to sit down and take a breath.

Nurses Are on Their Feet All Day Long

No wonder they have to wear special shoes! Several studies have reported that nurses can walk a total of 4-5 miles or more in a single shift, while many of us rarely walk more than a mile in an entire day.

Nurses Work Very Hard to Get to Where They Are

Becoming a nurse isn’t easy. It takes years of schooling and intensive clinical training, not to mention how hard they work once their training is complete. Their training is never really finished, as they are always learning new skills and keeping up-to-date with new equipment and revised regulations.

Nurses Truly Care

To most nurses, what they do is more than just a job. Nurses really care about their patients, are rooting for them to get better, and feel their pain when they don’t. Nurses are able to do the amazing work they do because of the human connection they have with their patients.

For all the reasons above, and for many more that aren’t listed here, nurses deserve our respect, appreciation, and admiration. The next time a nurse takes care of you, don’t forget to say thank you!

Copyright 2021 © Baldwin Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. 

Health eCooking® is a registered trademark of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Cook eKitchen™ is a designated trademark of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein without the express approval of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. is strictly prohibited.