4 Reasons to Say Thank You on National Nurses Day

There are so many reasons to be thankful for nurses. They are our frontline heroes on a regular basis. Fighting for the lives of others is just a day in the life of a nurse. But particularly during this scary time, they deserve the utmost recognition! They show up—not just literally but figuratively. They show up for us time and time again.

This year is extra special. Yes, we are in the midst of a global pandemic. Yes, we are in need of nurses now more than ever. And yet, this year ironically had been previously deemed by the World Health Organization as the “International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.” According to the DAISY Foundation, which is dedicated to the honoring of nurses and nursing research, 2020 was going to be a time to internationally celebrate and honor the work of nurses and midwives.

No one could have ever imagined that this year of recognition would have coincided with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Here we are, watching nurses put themselves on the frontlines every day. We watch media highlights of the threatening conditions they face, the supply shortages impacting their work and their resiliency to continue to show up.

You may not personally know a nurse you can dote upon on National Nurses Day. However, there are a plethora of ways to return the favor and show up for them. Decorate your driveway or front yard with a message of gratitude. Draw a picture or write a sign and share it on social media with the hashtag #nationalnursesday. Go to your local hospital (staying out of the way, of course) and decorate a walkway or sidewalk with chalk, balloons or signs.

Cities and neighborhoods in New York, Italy and all over the world have been going outside at 7:00 pm to make noise for their healthcare heroes. 7:00 pm is the typical nightly shift change for healthcare workers. People go out and clap, sing and just make some noise for these local heroes. Even if you aren’t within hearing shot of a hospital, go outside at 7:00 pm and celebrate the nurses working on the frontlines.

Most importantly, thank nurses everywhere by doing your part and stay home while practicing social distancing! Flatten the curve of this pandemic and do your part to stop the spread as best as you can. We should always be thankful for healthcare workers. However, right now we should be especially thankful for nurses. Check out just a few of the reasons why we are thankful for nurses here at the South Beach Diet.

Here are four reasons to say thank you on National Nurses Day:

1. Their conviction.

Shift after shift, day after day, they continue to show up for their patients and colleagues. The DAISY Foundation said it best when they talked about the “resilience of nurses — their ability to deal with everything being thrown at them and still return the next day, or night, to do it all over again.” We rely on nurses’ conviction because, regardless of the circumstances, they treat us with their clinical expertise with care and compassion.

2. Their adaptability.

Constantly on their feet, always on the go, nurses are constantly adjusting to their environments. As cases of COVID-19 continue to come in and new symptoms are discovered, nurses are expected to adapt to new routines, protocols and care. In an ever-changing global pandemic, they have to be on their toes literally and figuratively, always adapting to the new needs of their patients.

3. Their care.

You can think of this as the care they literally provide or the care that they put into their work. Nurses often spend more time with individual patients than doctors. They are in closer quarters and have more prolonged contact with their patients. It is more often than not that a nurse puts their time and energy into knowing their patients, caring for them on a deeper level rather than simply treating the medical needs.

4. Their thinking skills.

Nurses are often calling the shots for their patients. Their critical thinking, reasoning and clinical judgment skills are topnotch. They must factor in a myriad of symptoms, outcomes and possibilities when deciding on the care and needs of their patients. They make decisions swiftly and purposefully.

There’s really no limit to the reasons why we should be grateful for healthcare workers. Nurses deserve our extra special attention during this pandemic, this Year of the Nurse and National Nurses Week. Showing gratitude during this time can make all the difference!

So, to all the nurses all over the world: Happy National Nurses Day!