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Today marks the beginning of Nurses Week in the United States.
Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 the Year of the Nurse to raise awareness about the fact that, plain and simple, that there just aren’t enough of us in the world right now. A new report issued by WHO reveals a global shortfall of 5.9 million nurses, and their projections suggest that the world needs 9 million more to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
My mother dreamed of becoming a nurse, but her parents could not financially support her aspiration. I similarly always had a desire to find a career that would empower me to help others and employ the passion within me to care for people during the most vulnerable times in their life, so for me, the way seemed clear. In 1988, I received my BSN from Marywood University and became a registered nurse, fulfilling two generations of family ambition.
Since then, I have worked my way up from a Practice Manager for The Wright Center for Community Health to the organization’s Associate Vice President of Clinical Quality and Patient Safety. This leadership role has taken on a whole new meaning since the outbreak of COVID-19. While my days used to include training teams to ensure consistent, patient-focused care across The Wright Center’s nine clinical venues throughout Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wayne counties, these days, I am focused on redesigning the flow of foot traffic and care delivery to ensure both employees and patients remain safe from further spread of the virus. Well after the regular work day is complete, I continue to search for adequate personal protective equipment amid a nationwide shortage and seek additional educational resources for my colleagues so they can serve our community in safer, smarter ways.
I have watched with pride as the nursing staffs in each clinic have remained steadfast on the frontlines during this unnerving time of global crisis. They have met the unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus with zeal, greeting these obstacles as a unique opportunity to learn and grow their compassion, innovate their approaches to patient care and find new avenues of support for each other. During COVID-19, nurses have absorbed information and protocols that change daily — even hourly — and used these unexpected shifts as launchpads for better care delivery.
Nurses have always played a vital role in healthcare systems and are often the first point of contact with patients. They comfort scared children, look after senior citizens and tend to people when they are at the highest of highs and lowest of lows in their lives. At The Wright Center, we never turn anyone away for lack of insurance or inability to pay, and so every day, our nurses meet essential health needs for the most vulnerable, at-risk members of our community. I am proud to report that they have not wavered in this noble task throughout the pandemic.
To my fellow nurses, I encourage you to take heart in all that you do and remember that while the job isn’t always easy, we can make a difference. For everyone else, especially anyone feeling the strain of COVID-19, I say this: When you need hopeful inspiration, look to a nurse. This Nurses Week, and all year as we celebrate the Year of the Nurse, thank these dedicated professionals for the unconditional care they give, and honor them as the heroes they are.
Sheila Ford, R.N., B.S.N.
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