Monday, May 4, marks the beginning of National Nurses Week. The observance of National Nurses Day for the year 2020 will be noted and celebrated on Wednesday, May 6.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary will tell you nurses are licensed healthcare professionals who practice independently or are supervised by a physician, surgeon or dentist and who are skilled in promoting and maintaining health.

In reality, nurses have many roles and varied responsibilities:

A nurse is an educator. A crucial part of the job is educating patients and their families about the details of the diagnosis that has been made. A nurse teaches patients how to manage their symptoms and explains the various treatment options. Nurses teach concrete skills, such as how to apply a dressing to a wound, as well as important and necessary medical knowledge…like the signs and symptoms of worsening diabetes. More and more nurses are also tasked with educating patients on how to navigate the healthcare system and especially how to access the specific care that is needed.

A nurse is a counselor. Nurses who provide bedside care for patients for a length of time get the privilege of building relationships with patients that physicians and other healthcare workers rarely get to experience. To many patients and their families, a nurse is their lifeline to the entire workings of the healthcare facility. By answering questions and listening to concerns, a nurse can also act as an ambassador for a patient. Patients enter the hospital for physical care. But it’s not just the physical care they receive that matters…the emotional support they receive from a nurse can make a world of difference

A nurse is a chemical catalyst. Nurses aren’t always just the intermediary between the doctor and the patient. They have vast medical knowledge, often with extremely technical specialty knowledge that is critical to the healthcare system. Nurses across specialties tend to work very closely with their patients, making every task more acute in its importance.

A nurse is an advocate. The time nurses spend with their patients allows them to get a good grasp on their conditions. It’s not uncommon for them to step in on the patient’s behalf to make recommending care plans to physicians or surgeons.

A nurse is a confidant. Nurses have a lot on their plates, but they also must carry the burden of upholding the privacy of their patients. They must adhere to strict privacy laws, and maintain the confidentiality and dignity of each patient.

A nurse has varied other duties. Besides performing the role of educator, advocate and mediator between patients and their doctors or loved ones, nurses can also be involved with maintenance, housekeeping, tech support, dietary, phlebotomy, engineering and as a secretary (reports, etc.). Nurses are the glue that keeps the healthcare system together.

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Historically, the nursing profession has roots in the Christian concept of ministry. A caring ministry called for persons to serve their neighbors who were in need physically or spiritually. Many of the caring qualities of today's nurses are pastoral in nature, and contribute richly to healing.

Please remember and say a prayer of thanks and show gratitude for all of the nurses and others in the medical field who have risked their health and well being to take care of all those who have been afflicted with the Coronavirus. Their dedication and care are exemplary and worthy of recognition.

In another of God’s Other Ways©, He has provided these “angels” of mercy and healing for a needy world dealing with the pandemic.

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Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NASB

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Romans 15:1 NASB

And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16 NASB

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