National Nurses Week in Canada is May 12 - 18. It is a time to recognize and show appreciation for nurses who make up a large percentage of hospital staff.
According to the Government of Canada, there are approximately 1,060 registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in the Swift Current - Moose Jaw region.
“We have licensed practical nurses that work in acute care and in many of our long-term care homes across the province. They also work in community health, emergency departments, and operating rooms,” said Chief Nursing Officer of the SHA, Andrew McLetchie.
“We have registered psychiatric nurses that support people with mental health needs in both the community and our inpatient mental health facilities. We have nurse practitioners, and we see more of them working in primary care, sometimes in our hospitals alongside physicians providing direct care and treatment,” McLetchie added.
Being a nurse can be demanding as they work many different types of schedules. Some work Monday to Friday, while others are on call. However, most are on shift work and have long hours, ensuring patients get the care they need.
“This means that they must navigate family life and how work schedules interfere with some of that. It can be a challenge for many nurses to find that balance, but so many of them got into nursing because they care deeply for patients and want to help them in difficult circumstances,” stated McLetchie.
When patients come in, they may not be in the best of situations or in the happiest of moods. Despite that, it’s important to be thankful to nurses for the job they do and recognize that they are there to help.
“They are the backbone of a lot of what happens in the system. They are there helping people when babies are born and at the end of life when people are palliative.”
As this week ends, recognize the significant work that nurses do to help people throughout their lifespan and realize how integral they are in helping those who are sick, injured, or struggling mentally.