Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of complaints about retail workers working on Thanksgiving day. While I agree that it’s unfortunate, I can’t help but think of all the nurses who routinely work on holidays with very little recognition for this sacrifice. It takes a lot for someone to forgo a holiday gathering with family and friends in exchange for catheters and bed pans. Even so, year after year, nurses work Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and many other occasions that they’d rather be at home with their families eating turkey and pumpkin pie.
Most nurses do it for more than just a paycheck or out of pure obligation. It’s difficult to describe the selfless act of caring for the ill at a time when the rest of the country isn’t working. There’s something beautiful and moving about it.
I am so thankful that nurses exist and do what they do. I am honored to be a part of a profession that works on holidays, often with little recognition. Thanksgiving and Christmas are just two of the many holidays that nurses sacrifice family time to care for the sick.
I wrote a nurse poem to commemorate my thankfulness for nurses
I am Thankful There Are Nurses
I am thankful there are nurses
Who care for those that are ill
I am thankful there are nurses
With soft hearts and iron wills
I am thankful there are nurses
Who are working on holidays
I am thankful there are nurses
To brighten up hospital stays
I am thankful there are nurses
And everything they do
I am thankful there are nurses
I am thankful for one like you
There are many great ways to thank a nurse.
What nurse are you thankful for?
Comment on this post and tag your favorite nurse!
Robert Campbell an amazing help in times of duress.
Helping the NEXT generation of all levels of nursing staff with my retired status from a tertiary, violent patient, wards some of which were locked. A lot of my help comes from the practical application of simple easy to use methods of real interaction, in the sixteen years at NO time was there a pain or stress hold applied. The hard part of the present ; to find access to people willing to listen to me. The staff on these wards deserve accolades for their excellent examples of every day loving care especially with the male patient along with the male staff too. jack jacques
You aren’t alone in that gratitue. I’m thankful each time I go into that hospital and they help make things just that much easier. We are lucky to have our nurses. ~Catherine