Celebrating National Nurse Week

                

The medical field is an organizational diagram of many concentric circles, each one being a specialty in fields of diagnosis and care.  The nurse is usually the first and last medical worker a patient will see during their travels through the realm of medical assistance.  The nurse is the triage worker, the first person, who decides where, when and who the patient will go and see in the next step of patient care, and the nurse is the last professional person the patient will see as the patient departs, either in renewed health or when they have shuffled off their mortal coil.

"Our job as nurses is to cushion the sorrow and celebrate the joy, everyday, while we are "just doing our jobs.""
                              - Christine Belle
 
In the month of May, Rehabmart is proud to celebrate Nurses Week, which is celebrated annually from May 6th, also know as National Nurses Day, through May 12th, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.  The theme of National Nurses Week 2011 is 'Nurses Trusted to Care'.

"Nurses are the hospitality of the hospital."
                                                    - Carrie Latet

The roots of International Nurses Day goes back to 1953, when Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October of the following year. The proclamation was not officially made. But, this day was born and eventually gained national recognition.

I have worked with many nurses in my own career.  Different 'specialties' of nursing, such as surgical nurses, psychiatric nurses, ER nurses, military combat nurse medics, medical office nurses, social welfare nurses, and pediatric nurses, and although they all work in different environments and situations, they are all the same.  They have all shown the same caring, professionalism, intelligence and dedication while dispensing aid and comfort to their patients.  To observe such dedication and professionalism over and over again from different people in the same field just shows that more often than not that to become a nurse is more of a calling than a job.

If you have a family member or friend who is a nurse, or know someone who is going into the nursing profession and you would like to tell your favorite nurse "Thank You", then maybe Rehabmart can help you by offering the following tools and products.  The Sprague Stethoscope Nurse Kit is perfectly suited for use by both medical students and healthcare professionals.  

                                               

The kit includes a 22 inch Sprague stethoscope with threaded soft eartips, a full accessory pouch, nylon pocket organizer, a Medimeter, a 5½ inch Lister Bandage scissor, a three-color chart pen, and a disposable penlight.  What more could a nurse want, except maybe better pay, better working conditions and better treatment from doctors?! But the Sprague Stethoscope Nurse Kit is a great place to start!

One of the most difficult jobs a nurse has is the patient transfer.  Lifting, sliding, or carrying the weight of a person from a bed to a wheelchair or vice versa, or from the bed to the bathroom or even from the floor to a bed or chair is a difficult and strenuous part of the job.  Add this weight training regimen to the mostly constant moving, bending, and walking a nurse must do and you'll realize that a very helpful item for a nurse might be the DeRoyal Solace Low Profile Back Brace Support.  This back support is made in a low profile lightweight design that can fit easily under most nurse white uniforms and scrubs.  

                                    

Made with a soft, breathable material which provides a cool, comfortable fit that can increase the support, it also has an adjustable pulley style closure system that is easy to secure and provides maximum compression.  Plus, it comes with anterior and posterior ABS plastic inserts that provide control and support, and plastic d-rings for easy application and removal.

If you know of a nurse who is always on the go, who works outside the office visiting people at homes and facilities, then the Fanny Pack Combo Kit might be a great present for this mobile nurse.  

                                  

This pack comes with a Sprague Rappaport-type stethoscope with 22 inch tubing and accessory kit.  A no-stop pin blood pressure gauge with a 20-year calibration warranty is included in this kit which also features a nylon cuff with latex inflation system.  A nylon-zippered fanny pack holds the stethoscope, blood pressure gauge, stainless steel bandage scissors, stethoscope nametag, reusable pen light, and a tape measure.

Nurses work hard for the comfort and health of others so remember to thank a nurse, not only during National Nurse Week, but also at the times when you or your loved ones are in pain and needing medical assistance.  The nurse will be the first person you see and also the one who will later explain to you what the other medical professionals have said about your condition.  Nursing is one of the most noble professions within the workforce and a profession to be proud to be a part of...so to all of the hard working nurses out there, we salute you!

"Bound by paperwork, short on hands, sleep, and energy...nurses are rarely short on caring."
   - Sharon Hudacek, "A Daybook for Nurses"

To view other types of stethoscopes, please go to Stethoscope.
To find out about other type of back supports, please go to Back Support .

Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO