Acting Health Commissioner Fern P. Clarke on Monday called nurses the unsung heroes of the healthcare community and applauded their strong commitment to patient care and safety. National Nurses Week is May 6-12 and is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This year’s theme is “Trusted to Care,” according to a press release from the V.I. Department of Health.
“Nurses are with us in our moments of need, providing critical assistance to physicians or at times working wholly on their own,” Clarke said. “This year’s theme is most fitting as we routinely put our trust in nurses.”
There are nearly three million registered nurses in the United States and its territories, making nursing the nation’s largest healthcare profession. In the Virgin Islands, nurses who work in emergency rooms, rehabilitation centers, school-based and community health clinics among others, are being recognized for their essential role and invaluable contributions to the medical profession and healthcare industry.
Governor John P. deJongh Jr. has proclaimed May 6-12 as “National Nurses Week” in the Virgin Islands, noting that registered nurses are essential to the delivery of healthcare to the territory’s residents and visitors. Their profession demands the knowledge and skill to meet the varied and emerging healthcare needs of the entire population in a wide range of settings.
“Thanks to their educations and holistic focus, nurses promote restoration and maintenance of health for their patients. If we are to renew our emphasis on primary and preventive health care, we will require better use of all of our nursing resources. Professional nursing has been demonstrated to be a key component in the safety and quality of care of hospitalized patients,” deJongh said in the proclamation.