Honoring those who serve: National Nurses Week

Photo By Sgt. Juanita Philip | Pvt. Oshana Mitchell, a healthcare specialist at the U.S. Army Health Clinic, Grafenwoehr checks a soldier's blood pressure, May 14. During National Nurses Week, May 5-12, nurses and medics were recognized for their service. The clinic is organized using the primary care medical home model where medics, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses work in teams serving patients in a family practice setting.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BY, GERMANY

05.19.2015

Story by Sgt. Juanita Philip 

7th Army Training Command

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- The medical staff at the U.S. Army Health Clinic, Grafenwoehr rounded up National Nurses Week with a command staff tribute and luncheon, May 12.

During the ceremony the Grafenwoehr clinic celebrated this year's theme of 'Ethical practice, Quality care', and recognized nurses, medics and other nursing associated professions. The medical staff also got a bit of nursing history as they heard of notable figures in nursing history.

"Nursing week ended on May 12, which is Florence Nightingale's birthday," said Lt. Col. John Gourley, chief nurse at the clinic.

"I think it's very important that we recognize the other matriarchs and founders of modern nursing. Mary Seacole was one of them," Gourley said.

Ms. Seacole, a contemporary of Florence Nightingale, travelled the world in the 1800's caring for the sick and wounded.

Ms. Seacole took care of the soldiers on both sides even though she was British. She cared for soldiers and enemy combatants together.

According to Gourley, the clinic currently has at least 8,500 beneficiaries within the Grafenwoehr community that receive its services - military service members, their dependents, retirees and DoD employees.

"Since Grafenwoehr is the largest multinational training area in Europe, a NATO training area, we also see Soldiers, Sailors, Marine and Airmen. We also see service members from the NATO nations, so our number, even though it sounds high, is actually much higher than that because we do take care of other folks that are not part of our impaneled beneficiary population," said Gourley.

The clinic also used National Nurses Week to build trust and strengthen relationships.

"Host nation nurses visited and saw how we provide nursing duties, and we compared and contrasted our methods. We also had a luncheon for them," said Sherice Patton, nursing supervisor.

The intent of National Nurses week is to celebrate the role nurses play in delivering the highest level of quality care to their patients. It is a week to let nurses know that they are honored and respected.

"We honored 16 nurses and the medics as well; they do a lot of nursing stuff too," said Patton.

"It was my pleasure to do this for them, I think they deserve every bit of it, I don't think we do enough for them."

• Date Taken: 05.19.2015
• Date Posted: 05.27.2015 11:49
• Story ID: 164669
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BY, DE