NOTE: The American Nurses Association has extended the traditional National Nurses’ Week to a monthlong campaign to support and recognize nurses who work with courage and compassion under extremely challenging circumstances. This is part of a series of stories to honor Palmetto GBA nurses and the incredible work they do.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has expanded the traditional Nurses’ Week to the entire month of May because “now more than ever, it is important to raise the visibility of the critical work nurses do,” according to the ANA website.

In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared 2020 the International Year of the Nurse to honor the men and women who “are often the first and only point of care in their communities.”

“This year couldn’t have been a more fitting year for this declaration,” said Robin Free, a nurse and Assistant Vice President of Home Health Review Choice Demonstration. “This coupled with the ANA extending Nurses’ Week to the entire month of May is a testament of how important nurses are in our everyday lives.”

Palmetto GBA is joining the ANA and WHO in honoring our nurses who provide such valuable services every day.

“Having Nurses’ Week expanded to a month is an honor,” said nurse and Medical Reviewer II Heather Hutson. “Nurses definitely do not expect all the glory and recognition; that is not why we became nurses. Most nurses will tell you that they became nurses because they cared about something and it drove them to want to help, to be a part of something bigger than themselves.”

Nurses play vital roles in our everyday lives, from administering flu shots to volunteering in free health care clinics to working in the busiest trauma centers.

“As we are acutely seeing in today’s world, nurses are absolutely vital in our society,” Free said. “Without them and their dedication to their profession and calling, whether it be in a clinical or non-clinical setting, we all play a role to support the health and well-being of all.”