Monday, May 02, 2022

Nurses Week: Giving Thanks

Well, this is it, folks. This is the week that's set aside for nurses to be praised, thanked and stroked. Gratitude goes a long way in this world, so this is a week when clear and heartfelt gratitude for nurses can be found in many places, both expected and unexpected.

happy nurses week

At our workplaces, gifts for Nurses Week can be somewhat disappointing — mugs, pens, flowers, candy, stethoscope clips, and other material acknowledgments can fall flat, especially when we consider how nurses have slogged it out these past two years throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, the best gifts of Nurses Week often come in non-material form, like sincere expressions of thanks, spontaneous hugs, and the ways in which others (nurses and non-nurses alike) communicate their appreciation of who you are and what you do.

And if your employer truly wants to show some appreciation, they could give you a raise, increase their contribution to your health plan, or expand PTO so that you have more time to rest and recharge. While they're at it, they could also choose to address issues related to safe staffing, decrease nurse:patient ratios, and pay attention to the ways in which healthcare workers are still in need of systemic support. 

We would like to see more mental health support for nurses and healthcare workers, suicide prevention services, and a sincere move towards more positive workplace culture and the addressing of toxic behaviors in the workplace. 

As we continue to move into this not-quite post-pandemic world, continual reassessment of where we are and where we're going is necessary. Nurses continue to be at the center of COVID-19 response, whether it's our intrepid nationwide network of public health nurses focusing on population health and direct response, or nurses in hospitals, clinics, home health agencies, schools, dialysis centers, assisted living, nursing homes, and any other milieu you can think of. 

The last year has seen some changes for the better in terms of the intensity of the battle, but there's always more work to do. And even during the height of the pandemic, the healthcare system didn't stop treating heart attacks, strokes, and trauma, as well as the more garden-variety health concerns that most everyone experiences, from an ingrown toenail and strep throat to otitis media and asthma. 

How will you mark Nurses Week this year? Will you pay attention to it, or will it just pass you by without a thought? Will you buy yourself a nice latte and dessert at your favorite cafĂ©, or maybe take yourself out to dinner or schedule a massage?   

The public may not completely understand what we do and what we're capable of. They may even have an outdated picture of who nurses really are despite the ravages of the pandemic. However, when you say the word "nurse", many will respond to that word very positively, with stories of heroism, dedication, compassion, and kindness.

We nurses are at the bedside, in the doctor's office, in the clinic, and on the street. We care for the rich, the poor, the famous, the infamous and the downtrodden. We provide care on the battlefield, in the homeless shelter, under bridges, in schools, in camps, and even in corporate settings. We are entrepreneurs, employees, executives, teachers and business owners. We are legion.

Nurses Week is a very good time to be kind to yourself. It's a moment to reflect on the reasons that you're a nurse and why you choose to continue in the profession. 

If you're on your way out of the profession, take a moment to assess the road behind you, giving thanks for the opportunities that came into your life. If you're entering the profession, good for you--we need you! Take care of yourself and preserve your sanity amidst the storm. And if you're on the fence and in need of support, acknowledge that, as well — and then reach out.

And remember that it doesn't need to be all hearts and flowers. Perhaps you're burned out. Perhaps you've seen one code too many, watched too many COVID patients crash and burn, or you've held more dying babies in your arms than you can count. Maybe you cut your teeth on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, and now the only thing you want to do is grow tomatoes and roses. It's all relevant, and it's all important to acknowledge with honesty and clarity of mind.

This Nurses Week, welcome it all: the sadness, the joy, the sacrifice and the loss. It's all relevant--and it's the reality of who we are.

This week, you can choose to remember them all: those who've died, those who've lived, and those who have simply disappeared from your life.

You can also choose to give thanks for your service, your dedication, and the ways in which nursing has fed you. The banquet has not always been easy to swallow and digest, but a banquet it remains.

Nurses, the table is set before you. There are patients, doctors, other nurses, colleagues, families, and strangers. The setting can be wherever you are and whomever you're with. The pay may be adequate, or perhaps it's below par. The conditions may be stellar, or maybe they're less than optimal or even toxic. Whatever it is, acknowledge that this is your reality and then do what you can to change what can be changed — and if it's too difficult and there's resistance to change, you have the option to go where you'll be treated fairly and kindly. 

Now, no matter what the situation, thank yourself. You've chosen this for a reason, and your "nurseness" is part and parcel of who you are. Use this Nurses Week to simply let it all in, give thanks for it, and recognize how it has added to your life, magnified the world, and provided a platform from which to operate.

You're a nurse. Thank you for your service. Thank yourself. And continue on.

Happy Nurses Week.

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Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC, is a Board Certified Nurse Coach offering holistic career development for nurses and healthcare professionals. All things Nurse Keith can be found at NurseKeith.com.

Keith is the host of The Nurse Keith Show, his solo podcast focused on career advice and inspiration for nurses. From 2012 until its sunset in 2017, Keith co-hosted RNFMRadio, a groundbreaking nursing podcast.

A widely published nurse writer, Keith is the author of Savvy Networking For Nurses: Getting Connected and Staying Connected in the 21st Century and Aspire to be Inspired: Creating a Nursing Career That Matters. He has contributed chapters to a number of books related to the  nursing profession. written for Nurse.com, Nurse.org, MultiBriefs News Service, LPNtoBSNOnline, StaffGarden, AusMed, American Sentinel University, BlackDoctor.org, Diabetes Lifestyle, the ANA blog, NursingCE.com, American Nurse Today, Working Nurse Magazine, and other online and print publications.

Mr. Carlson brings a plethora of experience as a nurse thought leader, keynote speaker, online nurse personality, social media influencer, podcaster, holistic career coach, writer, and well-known nurse entrepreneur. 

Living in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, Keith shares a magical life with his partner, Shada McKenzie, a gifted, empathic, and highly skilled traditional astrologer and reader of the tarot. They regularly cavort with their remarkably adorable animal companions, George, Buck, and Lorca. You can find George the Cat on Instagram by using the hashtag #georgethecatsantafe. You can find Buck and Lorca wherever tasty treats and fun walks can be found. 

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