National Nurses Week kicks off
YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - National nurses week starts Tuesday, and local nurses share why it's important to recognize the contributions nurses make in our community.
"To me, nurses are the heart of healthcare…It's a calling, not a job." says Deborah Aders, the Senior V.P. of Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Onvida Health.
Starting May 6, the City of Yuma, along with the most of the country, have declared it Nurses Week.
Yuma is home to many nursing professionals, nursing school programs, and tons of community support.
Aders shared some characteristics of what makes a quality nurse.
"Nurses have special powers. The power of holding a hand, the power of being in the room when it's not the nest news offered, and the power advocatng for our patients and families," she explains.
But no profession goes without challenges.
There is a global nursing shortage and aders says the solution is an uphill battle.
"It's an aging population as well. The average age of a nurse is probably mid-40s, early 50s. So, I think the nursing shortage is something we're all seeing and anticipating, as more nurses retire," shares Aders.
Assistant CNO V.P. of Patient Care Services at Onvida Health Liz Chapin says in response to the nursing shortage, recruitment efforts go up and with that comes a high training demand.
"One of the things we've faced is a population of new nurses, so we need to support those nurses in a different way than experienced nurses. So we have to focus on that differently than historically," Chapin explains.
Onvida Health says they tackle the training demand by teaming with local colleges, offering them extern positions, and helping current employees further their education.
Aders says it all comes down to three things.
"It's about wanting to care for your community, patients, and each other," says Aders.
As a visual celebration, Yuma City Hall will be illuminating their building red.
Onvida Health will be illuminating its buildings blue, the same color as nursing scrubs.
"If you see the blue, that's to remind you. If you see a nurse, know a nurse, thank a nurse," Aders says.
If you're looking for a way to support a local nurse, Sunkissed Coffee in Yuma is hosting their annual Caffeinate-A-Nurse Drive, where locals can pay for a cup of coffee and a local nurse can redeem it for free.
