Guest opinion: Nurses: Caring today for a healthier tomorrow
The theme for Nurses Week 2010 is “Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow.” This annual tribute to nurses within Lee Memorial Health System and the community began May 6 on National Nurses Day and ends May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale-the founder of modern day nursing.
Being a nurse requires expertise, ingenuity and a deep sense of compassion. This year’s theme embodies the commitment nurses make in meeting the health care needs of the American people. Nurses make a difference in the lives they touch. A nurse’s role in health care combines science and technology with the art of caring.
Nurses are given the privilege of being present in the most significant and saddest of moments. Nurses share in the joy of a new life and compassionately support and provide comfort at the end of life. Through knowledge and vigilance, a nurse’s skill of assessment is constantly used to assure the individual under his or her care receives the best possible outcome. It is vigilance and time spent with a patient that separates nursing from other caring professions.
There are great demands on nurses today. Nurses are asked to be leaders, coaches and mentors for others. Nurses embrace change, are flexible, creative and innovative. Nursing practice is based on an open and questioning approach to decision making in patient care delivery to support safe practice. Nurses understand taking care of patients and families is a privilege they’ve earned through hard work and dedication.
According to statistics published by the American Nurse Association, there are nearly 3.1 million registered nurses in the U.S. There are 2.4 million actively working in the United States, with more than 300,000 in the state of Florida. There are over 240,400 advanced practice nurses in the United States. Of these, approximately 144,200 are nurse practitioners, 69,000 are clinical nurse specialists, 14,600 are both nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, 13,700 are nurse midwives and 32,500 are nurse anesthetists.
Today, registered nurses top the list of the 10 occupations with the largest projected job growth in the years 2002-2012. Although registered nurses have listed among the top 10 growth occupations in the past, this is the first time in recent history that registered nurses have ranked first in the U.S. And, 2.4 million of them are actively employed in nursing.
The nation’s nurses rank first for their honesty and integrity, with 82 percent of Americans rating them “high” or “very high,” according to a 2005 Gallup Poll. After being added to the list in 1999, nurses have consistently ranked first every year but one.
There is a tremendous age wave coming our way. Over 75 million baby boomers are preparing to retire. As the general population ages and prepares for retirement, scores of nurses are also preparing to retire.
Health care reform will certainly change how care is delivered, and nurses must be at the forefront to lead the change. There is and will continue to be an unprecedented demand for nurses.This demand will place a significant challenge on nursing schools to supply the next generation of nurses. Those who choose nursing for a profession do so because of their compassion and their commitment to service.
Our community must support and assure the next generation of applicants to our nursing schools have the opportunity to achieve their dream of becoming a nurse. Today, and throughout the year, please join me in recognizing outstanding nurses in our community and health system. Nurses are the heart of the health system within our community and all across our country.
– Donna Giannuzzi, RN, is the chief nursing officer, Lee Memorial Health System