Let’s celebrate all nurses this week, especially the mother of modern nursing… Florence Nightengale

Florence Nightingale is considered the mother of modern nursing. She made a name for herself after taking charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War. She worked hours upon hours, tending to soldiers day and night (she was nicknamed “Lady with the Lamp”). She changed nursing from the verge of incompetency, widely influencing practices such as sanitation, military health, and hospital planning. To this day, many of her practices are still implemented in hospitals worldwide, and the nurses are just as hardworking too. In commemoration of them, Nurses Week began on May 6th, and will end on Nightingale’s birthday, May 12.

Nurses are the first line of defense.  They work hard to promote the health of our nation. Indeed, that task doesn’t come easily. Ask any nurse what their hours are like, and they’re likely to tell you somewhere between 12 to 16 hours a day. It’s not something they often complain about, though. They’re dedicated to their work, and to showing the compassion and care that all patients need, from giving them medication to changing them, and planning their recovery to performing a whole array of tests and procedures. They’re at their patients’ bedsides constantly.

Though they tend to be targets of budget cuts, the growing economy has given rise to hopeful projections. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of employed registered nurses is expected to increase by 15 percent over the next eight years. That is fantastic news!

While there is still a significant nursing shortage, let’s hope more great people continue to choose nursing careers to further Florence Nightengale’s mission and makethe world a better place

So, the next time you see a nurse, thank them. Sooner or later, you will find them at your hospital bedside.

#medcallnursesarethebest