Dr. Ashaq Hussain
Sheltered in the safety of our homes and the comfort of our social distancing, we watch and read about them in the newspapers. These are our new celebrities, the unsung heroes on the frontline of the battle against Coronavirus. *Save one life and you're a hero, save one hundred lives and you're a nurse.* Yes, they are the unsung heroes, who risk their lives to save others. As the Covid-19 sweeps the world impacting communities and spreading a sense of insecurity, it’s the angels in white who care and instill hope in the minds of patients. They dispense compassion, displaying unparalleled dedication and resilience. They heal the vulnerable with their touch of compassion, soothing smile and words of care.
This International Nurses Day offers us an opportunity to express our gratitude to the nurses who are our frontline warriors in the battle against the pandemic. International Nurses Day is celebrated worldwide on May 12 every year. Nurses make a big contribution to keeping people healthy. This day is dedicated to their contribution and also a day to pay tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of nursing in the world. Historically Dorothy Sutherland, an officer in the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, first proposed to celebrate Nurses Day in 1953. It was announced by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was first celebrated in 1965. In May 1974, it was announced to celebrate May 12 as International Day, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
Although, in 2020, advice like “wash your hands” and “cover your mouth when you cough” seem fairly obvious and common sense, there was a time when this was not the case. That time was March 1855, when the situation in British hospitals outside of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) during the Crimean War had become so dire that Florence Nightingale and 40 other women acting as trained volunteer nurses were finally allowed access to patients (they had previously been denied access because of their gender). Hospitals were overcrowded and extremely unsanitary conditions encouraged the spread of infectious diseases like cholera, typhoid, typhus and dysentery, which Nightingale recognized immediately. She implemented basic cleanliness measures, such as baths for patients, clean facilities, and fresh linens, and advocated for an approach that addressed the psychological and emotional, as well as the physical, needs of patients. Her improvements brought a dramatic decline in the mortality rate at these hospitals, which had previously been as high as 40%. . Since 1965, the day has been celebrated every year by the International Council of Nurses as International Nurses Day. Every year on this occasion, the International Nurses Day Kit is prepared and distributed by the International Nurses Council. The International Council of Nurses commemorates this day by creating and distributing content of educational and public information of new subjects to nurses on the occasion.
On this day, Ministry of Family and Welfare, Government of India has instituted the National Florence Nightingale Award for the commendable work and courage of the nurses, to honor their contribution to health services, and to appreciate their hard work and dedication. The awards are presented each year on the occasion of Florence Nightingale's birthday. This award is given by the President of India, in this award; 50 thousand rupees in cash, a citation and a medal is presented.
Nurses play a very important role both locally and globally. They are on the front lines caring for these patients’ day in and day out without caring of their own life. *It’s like you’re going into the battlefield. You see the fire, and you’re running into the fire, not thinking about yourself. That is the selflessness that you can see in nursing today.*
Nursing is considered as the world's largest health profession. Nurses are important in managing a health crisis because they are a vital link between the patient and the rest of the health care team.
Nurses have access and availability to take care of patients around the clock when professional physicians are busy seeing other patients. Nurses are friendly, supportive and affectionate in boosting patients' morale and controlling their illness. Through assessment and critical thinking nurses are able to notice subtle changes in their patients that could indicate whether they are getting worse or getting better. “They are able to see what is working, as well as things that can be done differently to provide more effective and efficient care, and offer suggestions for improvement.” They are able to determine the human response to the medical problem. Nurses relay their assessment findings to providers, they are able to determine if respiratory therapy needs to be called, they are able to assess the patient’s response to medical treatments, and they educate the patients, along with providing a listening ear or a calming touch.
During the global pandemic, they have become the heroes caring for patients who are severely ill. Often spending the most amount of time with patients, nurses tend to all patient needs, including drawing blood, obtaining samples, providing oxygen and more. We can only imagine how much this work has increased with intensely sick COVID-19 patients. With tens of thousands of new cases due to corona virus, nurses are the ones at the patient’s bedside making sure they have as much comfort as possible. These are the Nurses who are holding patients’ hands as they experience their final moments without their families being present.
Nurses, they are the healthcare heroes that never seem to get the appreciation they deserve. And now, more than ever, it's important to show how much their work matters. Now, with Coronavirus at its peak, society is seeing just how far nurses will go not only get the job done, but to go the extra mile. As a nurse, they have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patients and their families. They may not remember your name but they will never forget the way you made them feel. So, on this International Nurses Day let’s recognize and solute these unsung heros who without caring about their life and family are busy in managing the war in this health crisis, without their contribution the fight against deadly Covid-19 can never reach to an end. |
