Opinion

Herald missed chance to recognize nurses

Posted May 17, 2014 5:01 am

As a daily reader of the Herald, I am surprised and disappointed that there was no mention or recognition of nurses during National Nurses Week, which started May 6, in the Opinion columns or letters to the editor. The average nurse today works long hours with complex equipment and very sick patients. No one just is admitted to a hospital for a rest.

Nurses miss holidays and weekend time with their families. Many are the main support for their families. Most don't have cushy contracts, most have 401(k)s and are worried about retirement. Pay raises are minimal at best.

Nurses greet the newborns as they draw their first breath, hold the hand of the frail and frightened and close the eyes of the dead. We advocate for anxious families and confused and sometimes abusive patients. We do it because we actually care. It's in our DNA. It would have been nice for you to notice. Happy Nurses Week to all my fellow nurses. Thanks for being there for all of us.

Edie Schultz

Palatine

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