The Morning Thing celebrates Nurses!

Nurses Week wraps up today with a special celebration – International Nurses Day.

Click HERE for more information about this special day.

International Nurses Day has been created so that we can pay honor and tribute to all of the nurses around the world and the incredible work they do. It is crazy to think about a world without nurses. Who would be there to care for us when we’re not feeling well? Nurses bring so much to our lives, and the lives of the people that we love, and so it is only right that we have a day that honors them and recognizes all of their efforts!

We talked with Dr. Carol Dorough, Dean of the School of Nursing at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation.
Dr. Dorough shared why nursing is so important to our society. She also shared how the past year has impacted nurses and the nursing profession. She also give encouragement for nurses. Take a listen and share this conversation with the nurses in your life.

The Morning Thing shared some fun and unique ways to celebrate Nurses.

Click HERE for the full list.

Some of our favorite ways to recognize nurses include:

Thank You Bags

Hand out small gift bags to your nursing staff. Include a card, a small knick-knack, and maybe even a gift card. This is a good way to show a general sense of appreciation to your entire staff.

Highlight a Nurse

Each day, choose a nurse (or one from each area of the hospital) to highlight. Tell their story and accomplishments. Not only will this give the highlighted nurse the joy of being recognized publicly, but it could also inspire other staff.

Catered Lunch

People love free food, and your nurses are no different. If you can find a balance between food people love and healthier options, you will be golden.

Priority Parking

Executive staff and higher-ups tend to get the better parking spots, right? Well, what if for this week, those coveted spots are opened up to nurses? It might not seem like much, but it goes a long way!

National Nurses Week Decorations

Decorate appropriate areas with themed flyers and decorations to remind both staff and patients to appreciate their nurses. You might even be able to get the help of patient’s artwork to make it a fun and engaging area.

Healthy Snack Options

Stock the break room with fresh fruit and healthy food choices. If you normally have only unhealthy options (or worse: nothing), consider creating a healthy snack option for your nurses and other medical staff.

Offer Free Shoe Inserts

This one might sound weird at first, but since nurses are constantly on their feet, inserts could make or break their day.

Picture Wall

If you are allowed and/or given permission, take a photo of happy patients with their nurses and make a wall of photos. Keep the wall of photos up for a while so nurses, staff, and others can see the happy faces of nurses and patients.

Massages

Massages are the perfect way to relieve stress. A quick 20-minute massage during a break or before or after a shift can help improve posture, stress levels, and soreness from walking around all day.