By: Brenda Abbott-Shultz, RN, VP of Resident Services, Sagora Senior Living
In honor of National Nurses Week, we would like to take a moment to acknowledge the work that nurses across the world perform each day.
This last year has been unprecedented in our lives. Nurses specifically have been challenged to deliver high-quality care under extraordinary circumstances. From lacking PPE and COVID-19 testing supplies, to working with staff shortages, to exposing themselves to sick patients – nurses have been on the frontlines and worked without days off for weeks at a time. They have done so selflessly and without complaint. As nurses, they have risen to the occasion with grace and dignity under pressure.
As we look back in history, nurses have been at the front lines meeting health challenges head on. Think of Florence Nightingale’s care of soldiers wounded during the Crimean War, and the nurses taking care of the first HIV/AIDS patients during the 1980s. This work occurred without the benefits of research and medications to provide relief. In those circumstances, nurses continuously stepped up and did what they were trained to do – heal the sick.
As we continue to find ways to address the increasingly challenging healthcare needs of senior living residents, we want to remind nurses everywhere of the need for self-care. Now more than ever, nurses are depended on to be strong and healthy leaders. We encourage them to take time off when they can, spend time with their families and find ways to recharge and restore their energy.
We are so grateful for nurses everywhere and for our nurses at Sagora Senior Living. We appreciate all that they bring, every day, for our residents and associates.