Today is the one day of the year when we intentionally single our nurses who are the front line of our worldwide health care system. Were it not for nurses most of us would lack the essential medical care that we are currently receiving. Tomorrow I’ll be going for a blood test and there will be a nurse taking care of me. I had the privilege of working with dozens of US Navy and civilian nurses while serving as a US Navy Hospital Corpsman in the 1970’s. I was always impressed with their calm under pressure.
One time in particular comes to mind when I was working in labor and delivery and we couldn’t locate the on-call obstetrician. The nurse calmly took over and delivered the baby. She had me scrub and and be her assistant. That’s a memory that’s still fresh from the fall of 1973. Be sure to offer the nurses in your life your thanks today for the amazing work that they do to keep us healthy and well.