Celebrate Nurses Week With RNFM Radio EPS 153
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In this episode of RNFM Radio, co-hosts Keith Carlson and Kevin Ross discuss the history of National Nurses Week, the importance of nursing, and the opportunities for nurses that they see coming down the pike, either in bedside hospital care, nurse entrepreneurship, or non-hospital-based nursing practice. Some other innovations, praiseworthy individuals, and ideas are also addressed.
Happy Nurses Week!
In terms of the history of Nurses Week, Kevin and Keith touch on several articles of interest:
- This 2013 post from the Nurse.com blog
- This pdf published in honor of National Nurses Week by the ANA
Interestingly, there was much jockeying for position and behind-the-scenes political maneuvering in order to make Nurses Week happen, and these historical events included the now famous Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sending a proposal to President Eisenhower in 1953, requesting that he proclaim a “Nurse Day” in October of the following year. The proclamation was never made, and it was Presidents Reagan and Nixon who were next intimately involved in making this recognition of nurses a reality.
Meanwhile, the conversation turned to how National Hospital Week (May 10th to 16th) encroaches on Nurses Week (May 6th to 12th) for two days of overlap, and Kevin was distressed to see how some hospitals are basically absorbing Nurses Week into Hospital Week, thus diluting the message of Nurses Week. It was concluded that the hospitals can have their week, overlapping nicely with nursing for two days, but the nurses still deserve to have May 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th entirely to themselves, without the hospital stealing nurses’ thunder.
Paradigm Shift
Finally, the RNFM duo are intrigued by the mention of the concept of “hospitalization at home” discussed at length in an article published in The New York Times. While RNFM has frequently addressed the paradigm of concierge medicine and concierge nursing, it seems that hospitals realize that they can actually provide hospital-level care in patients’ homes for particular conditions, and Keith and Kevin both see opportunities for nurses to be on the forefront of this new paradigm in healthcare delivery.
Speaking of paradigms, Keith mentioned this quote, and what it can mean for nurses and nursing: “When a paradigm shifts, everyone goes back to zero.” What do YOU think of that idea, and how does it apply to you and your nursing career?
Waxing Poetic
And since this is a show in honor of Nurses Week, you can rest assured that Keith and Kevin wax poetic about the awesomeness of nurses and the amazing listeners of RNFM Radio. They also rhapsodize about Elizabeth Scala, the new co-host of RNFM Radio, and all the wonderful energy and exuberance that she brings to the RNFM Radio table.
Happy Nurses Week, everyone! Thanks for tuning in, and we hope that nursing continues to be the ride of a lifetime for you. Stay tuned for more RNFM Radio in the months and years to come!
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