Recognizing our nurses on National Nurses Day
Today marks National Nurses Day and the start of National Nurses Week, May 6-12. This annual observance recognizes the dedicated and compassionate efforts of nurses in providing outstanding patient care and important contributions to improve health care.
More recently the entire month of May has been designated as Nurses Month to honor nurses and support the nursing profession. This year’s theme, “You Make a Difference,” resonates even more given the role of nurses in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since last spring nurses have been on the frontlines to treat patients suffering from COVID-19 and have stepped up to help vaccinate members of the community once vaccines became available. They have unselfishly put themselves at risk to lead and support efforts to stop the spread of this devastating virus.
I’m proud of how our faculty, students and alums volunteered without hesitation to join the university’s call for help with vaccinating thousands of community members across Central Virginia. I’m especially proud of the vaccination efforts led by our own Richmond Health and Wellness Program. I have been inspired by the faculty-led virtual call center in our school to provide COVID-19 information to patients discharged from VCU Health and to provide clinical learning for our students. It’s humbling to see how much nurses and future nurses are making an extra effort to impact lives each day.
I’m so grateful to lead the VCU School of Nursing during such an extraordinary time in our lives. With resiliency, innovation and collaboration, we have thrived in the midst of uncertainty to perform at our highest in advancing education and the nursing profession. I encourage you to join me in celebrating and thanking all nurses for the sacrifices they make and the important work they do each day.
Jean Giddens, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Dean and Professor
Doris B. Yingling Endowed Chair
