The Spirit of Caring

Katie Bray, RN, MSA and David Loose, RN, MSN

National Nurse’s Week was celebrated throughout the nation May 6 through May 13th and many health care organizations had daily activities to acknowledge the value of their nurses.

The Coalition for Nursing Careers in California (CNCC) supported many statewide events and was invited by Juli Maxworthy, RN Chairperson of Nursing Counsel at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek to participate during their Nurse of the Year Awards Luncheon. CNCC members, Katie Bray, RN, MSA, Nursing Workforce Consultant at Kaiser Permanente and David Loose, RN, MSN, Vice-President, Quality Management at San Leandro Hospital spoke to the audience of 200 nurses about the RN Ambassador Program and the urgency to reach out to young people. Katie explains, “I can't think of a more exciting time to make young people aware of the nursing profession. Diversity, technology, and social responsibility are driving forces to create the foundation for an incredibly rewarding and multifaceted career. And who better to send the message to our young people? Registered Nurses!”

The CNCC’s RN Ambassador Program provides presentation tools for nurses to use in their communities when speaking about careers in nursing. They discuss their decision to become a nurse and how nursing is such a rewarding career with endless opportunities.

Patients and family of patients also spoke at the luncheon. In sharing, the patients mentioned their doctors but it was the nurses who provided cared that touched each one in a way that transformed them as people. Nurses provide the continuity, care and compassion that many patients require and remember the most.

The Community Hospital in Los Gatos hosted a Nurse Week celebration that highlighted military nursing at their “Nursing Our Everyday Heroes” luncheon. Several of the nursing staff who had served in the military were honored. Modestine Fain, RN, MSN Director of Rehabilitation services spoke to over 100 nurses about the RN Ambassador Program and offered RN Ambassador lapel pins. Barbara van Amburg, Director of Nursing, hosted the event and is aware how important it is to celebrate the nursing profession “Thanks for a terrific nurses day, the gifts, the food and the entertainment WOW.”

Kaiser Permanente’s Nursing Pathways sponsored events at many of their facilities. CNCC visited both the Richmond and the Oakland facilities for their planned events. Marilyn Chow, Vice President of Patient Care Services at Kaiser Permanente, took the podium to speak about “Nurses: A Force for Patient Safety” at Oakland’s Nurses Week Conference. This event brought together 120 nurses for a day of lectures. Kaiser Permanente in Richmond also sponsored a different event every day. An ice-cream social and a Shop-At-Work day were among their activities. CNCC shared the RN Ambassador Program with both nurses and allied health personnel at both events.

We at CNCC would like to acknowledge and thank professional nurses everywhere for their on-going commitment and dedication to the communities they serve.

Release Date: June 19, 2003