I am of the opinion that most all nurses are amazing but there are a couple that are very special to me personally. If you know of a very special nurse you should nominate them for the Johnson and Johnson Amazing Nurse Contest!! The last day for nominations is June 29 so timing is critical, but ohhh so worth it! Nurses work long hard hours, go out of their way to make us comfortable in our time of need and more. Did you know: the healthcare field is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses; there is currently a nationwide vacancy of over 100,000 positions, and that number is expected to grow to 800,000 by the year 2020? That makes their job even harder and more stressful. If you would like to nominate an amazing nurse or learn more visit: www.amazingnurses.com or visit the Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/jnjnursingnotes/app_435838129764336
I have 2 nurses that I would nominate. Both are equally special to me and to this community. Let me tell you a little about them and all that they do.
First there is Darlene. Above you can see her and Rick at play. They were always into something and always invited others along to enjoy whatever activity or fun something they found to do. Darlene has been a huge part of my life for many years and is one of my dearest, dearest friends. It doesn’t matter what the need is or who has it, she is always there for them. She goes above and beyond for any person or animal that she comes across. She recently lost her husband to the terrible disease of cancer and as I watched as she literally stood by his bedside for days, exhausted and concerned she always had the comfort of everyone else on her mind…not her own situation. She wanted to make sure that not only was he comfortable but that all family, friends and co-workers had what they needed. Once Rick passed away she dived head first in doing for others and taking care of others. I can’t count the number of times that she has done for me, my kids or anyone else that was in need since I have known her. First call we received when Bric lost his job was from Darlene…wanting to know what she could do, what we needed and how she could help. That is just the way she is, selfless and always concerned for her fellow man. She is the most compassionate person that I know and I am so honored to call her my friend. It never fails that when we are in town for one reason or another she will run into one of her patients and I love to stand by and listen as they tell me how much they love her and how she always goes above and beyond to make them feel cared for. I know the feeling well, she makes me feel it everyday. That is the thing with nurses, they have the well-being of others engraved upon their hearts and they will do whatever necessary to make it so.
Then there is Deborah, who is officially gonna kill me for using this picture, but it is so her and shows her personality to a T! Deborah is my neighbor as well as my friend. She is always in the field of service whether at work or leisure. She recently traveled to Costa Rica to serve the impoverished children of that country and can be found on a regular basis doing whatever is needed for others. Her heart is in the mission field and it shows through her daily walk. No matter what time of day or night I call her with some crazy emergency she is there. And she is that way with everyone.
I can never figure out how these ladies do all that they do. How is there ever enough hours in the day? And the thing is, I am not sure I will ever figure it out but they do it. They rarely ever say no. They go above and beyond for everyone they come across. That is what being a nurse, a true friend and having compassion for others is about. They are truly the heroes in my life! It is my hope that you have someone like this in your life, for I can’t ever imagine mine without either of them. And if you are ever in my area and need medical care I can only hope that one of these special ladies is by your side, you will never receive better care or meet a more special person. You will truly know you are in the presence of an angel.
If you would like to nominate your favorite nurse here are some of the details:
- The winning Amazing Nurse and his/her guest will attend the 2012 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute show in Los Angeles, courtesy of CNN. He or she will also be honored in a video profile which will be screened before the live audience at the show, and featured on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook page. (*Eligible Nominees for the Amazing Nurses contest must be a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) who currently administers direct patient care.)
- Today, as the world population continues to grow and people continue to live longer and need more care, the healthcare field is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses; there is currently a nationwide vacancy of over 100,000 positions, and that number is expected to grow to 800,000 by the year 2020.
- The upside to this shortage is that the career outlook is excellent for the nursing field. And nursing is a highly regarded profession: a 2011 Gallup Poll announced that the public voted nurses number one for “honesty and ethical standards of various professions” for the eighth consecutive year. Nurses offer patients comfort, care and skill that is desperately needed in patient care. The time is now to encourage and celebrate this important role in our healthcare system.
“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”
