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Daily Herald opinion: Our local nurses are the heartbeat of health care

When we need medical attention, nurses are often the people we interact with the most.

It could be a routine office visit, or a lengthy hospital stay. Maybe you’re having a nerve-wracking test done, or one of many chemo treatments.

Nurses offer us the comfort, reassurance and care we need to get through so many of these medical visits.

And that’s exactly why suburban hospitals and health care systems honor their nurses of the year. These nurses deserve all the accolades and praise given to them every January.

And so we recognize these five nurses — and so many more — for going above and beyond.

Congratulations to Meghan Schick of Advocate Good Samaritan in Downers Grove, Victoria Lozano of Advocate Good Shepherd in Barrington, Leah Stein-Fredbeck at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Brittany Holliday of Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, and Frances Teti-Teal, also of Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, who was recognized as Nurse Leader of the Year.

“It is a true honor to witness the remarkable impact they make in transforming lives through innovative and compassionate care every day,” Jane Dus, senior vice president, chief nursing officer of Advocate Health, Midwest Region, said about nurses.

But these caregivers offer us so much more.

Nurses are often the unsung heroes of health care, providing more than just medical care. They are the steady, compassionate hands that guide us through some of our toughest experiences.

Nurses frequently spend the most time with patients and are the first to notice changes in condition, detect potential complications and offer crucial support.

Sometimes, they simply offer a listening ear when we need emotional care. Their calm bedside manner and gentle approach make nurses the expert communicators and educators we need as patients.

Nurses bridge the gap between us and doctors, translating complex medical information into understandable terms and ensuring care plans are followed.

They are also advocates for public health, driving initiatives that address disparities and improve access to care. As health care evolves, so too does the role of nurses, expanding into specialties like nurse practitioners and leadership, like Sherman Hospital’s Teti-Teal.

But nurses can sometimes be underappreciated and undervalued. Many face high levels of burnout because of understaffing and insufficient compensation.

And the emotional toll of nursing is often overlooked — dealing with life-and-death situations, comforting grieving families, and managing their own stress while maintaining professionalism. It’s this emotional resilience, paired with technical skill, that makes nurses irreplaceable.

As we congratulate our local nurses of the year, we also want to thank the thousands of nurses in our suburban doctor’s offices, hospitals and outpatient facilities for being the backbone of our health care system.

You deserve more than our gratitude. You deserve support and recognition for the vital work you do each and every day.

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