Dear Editor:

May 6th through the 12th marks National Nurses Week. The American Nurses Association’s (ANA) theme this year is “Four Million Reasons to Celebrate,” recognizing one of the largest and most trusted workforces in our country.

We have so many reasons to celebrate the accomplishments of this noble, undervalued profession and each of its individual members. Nurses are on the front lines of patient care every day with primary responsibility for providing the appropriate care and medications at the right time in a compassionate manner. As clinicians, nurses have a physically demanding job. Nurses work long shifts at all hours of the day, often requiring them to set aside personal needs for those of a patient.

Here at LincolnHealth, we have 424 reasons to celebrate: 201 registered nurses and 223 certified nursing assistants working in various care settings, around the clock. Our small community hospital received the Top Rural Hospital award by the Leapfrog Group once again for the seventh time in eight years, as well as silver and bronze quality awards at Cove’s Edge and St. Andrews Village’s Gregory Wing. These awards speak to the tireless efforts of all of our employees at LincolnHealth, but in particular, our nursing staff for maintaining the highest quality standards in the delivery of patient care.

Nurses are you and your family’s direct connection to better health and wellness. In recognition of National Nurses Week, I want to remind everyone that this is true every week of the year.

Christine Anderson, RN, BSN, NE-BC

Chief Nursing Officer, LincolnHealth