Recently we asked our Founder Michael Donner what message he wanted to tell the world about nurses. Here is his response.

First, I would like to address nurses. I want each and every one of them to know that they and their profession – Nursing – are the heartbeat of our healthcare industry. They are always center stage when it comes to saving and healing lives and caring for the whole patient, not just the illness that brought them to a hospital or doctor’s office. So many nurses we meet don’t fully realize that they are every day heroes.  One of my greatest wishes is that every nurse will know this and be appreciated in our society.
This brings me to the message I’d like to share with America, no with the world. 
Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare systems and of medical care around the world, whether provided as a professional at work or a professional in a volunteer capacity. Patient care, whether in a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office is in the hands of nurses. They are the ones who provide care, monitor conditions, listen, sit by your side,and first respond if there is a problem. They give all they have –  every ounce of energy, compassion, and expertise – to help save lives, to heal those for whom they are responsible.
Nurses are unbelievably strong, which is why everyone leans on them. Doctors may see patients for five or ten minutes. They come and go quickly. They depend on nurses to provide care and administer treatments. They know that nurses are on hand often around the clock caring for the person, not just the patient.  A nurse provides care from a 360 degree standpoint, inside and outside, physical and emotional concerns. All of it rests on the shoulders, on the hearts, the hands and minds of nurses.
Recently my brother was at UCLA Medical Center and it was the nurses who connecedt with him, not with his illness, but with him. There was one in particular who lifted his spirits whenever she was on duty and throughout her 12 hour shift. I asked for the supervisors name and sent a letter to this person complementing this nurse. I wanted to say thank you and to tell her boss as well. It was amazing how much of an impact that note, written in five minutes, had. Her immediate manager shared the note with the CEO of the hospital, and both reached out to this nurse with gratitude and new appreciation. She was humble, but moved.
While I don’t presume to tell others what to do, I am hopeful that this message will be spread far and wide and that nurses around the world will begin to appreciate the value and impact they make in the lives of others every minute of every day.

Thank you Michael.