A salute to our nurses during National Nurses Week

Dear Editor,

Rawsi Williams stated: “To do what nobody else will do, a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through, is to be a nurse.” I am reminded that May, 6-May 12 is regarded as National Nurses Week in many countries, including Guyana. So today I take a special time out to say congratulations and thanks to all the nurses in Guyana, for caring for the sick in our society. Too often we forget the critical role these professionals play in our daily lives, and we seldom remember to say a simple word of thanks. I want especially to recognize the nurses who work in the public hospitals around the country. These nurses, in the pursuit of their mission to bring relief to every patient, face tremendous obstacles daily, but yet they press on regardless of the situation. They work with limited resources and sometimes inadequate safety gear, and yet remain true to the profession. I have seen nurses at the Georgetown Hospital try to make two patients comfortable on one bed, and smile in the face of insults being hurled at them by patients who, clearly, were aiming at the wrong targets. Today, I salute our nurses and trust that they will continue to serve. As we go about our daily lives let us take time out to say thanks and show appreciation to these deserving professionals.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish every mother a Happy Mother’s Day.

Yours faithfully,
Lurlene Nestor