Greetings to all area nurses,
I am honored to celebrate another National Nurses Month — my second in the area — with the nurses of greater St. Louis.
I continue to stand in awe of the ways in which every one of you provides extraordinary care to the patients in our communities. I am grateful to be part of a community where I witness this daily, as you give your all and provide care for so many people in the most vulnerable of populations.
My lifelong career as a nurse was always more than a job. It’s a calling — a ministry, even. A club where only those inside understand the privilege of belonging. As nurses, we have a burning desire to help people — not only by caring for them when they’re sick, but also by educating them so they stay well and advocating for them when they need our voices. It’s sharing knowledge in a way that offers inclusivity to all people and gives them a chance to live their lives to the fullest.
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I also know that nursing is not an individual contributor type of job. We work in teams. We collaborate — with each other, with myriad other health care professionals, with patients and their families. We are also mentors to those who are new to the profession or considering joining the profession.
BJC HealthCare is a leader in this regard. We create pathways for aspiring nurses through our Patient Care Technician Academy, an accelerated patient care technician training program that allows students to help people while receiving training to begin their health care careers. This is only one way in which we encourage people to join the fold of what, in my opinion, is the best career path in health care.
But we do not have to rely on formal programs alone. We can play a role in creating pathways for new nurses. Take a moment and think about how you show up in your community as the face of nursing outside of hospitals and doctors’ offices.
I want to challenge all nurses to reach out to nursing schools in your community and be a mentor. By showing the nurses of tomorrow the face of a real caregiver today, they will be able to better picture themselves in the same nursing shoes. There is much gratification in helping newer nurses find their way in the profession.
It’s also critical that we support each other. I would encourage all the nurses belonging to professional organizations in St. Louis to pursue collaborations across the region. Providing education at scale takes the burden off any one organization and makes it easier to hold conferences and bring health care education to our community of health care workers.
Finally, I’d like to offer my thanks to my fellow seasoned, practicing nurses who tirelessly and selflessly share their knowledge. And I thank the nurses just starting out for choosing a career of service. And for everyone in between who allowed this path to choose them. And I would be remiss if I didn’t also express gratitude to our team members who support nurses in providing extraordinary care to our patients.
And I want to remind you to take care of yourselves as you take care of everyone else. While the joys of nursing are immensely rewarding, we know that the demands can take a lot out of us emotionally. Self-care is one of the most important ways you can continue to bring your best selves to your patients and your families. I am grateful for this opportunity during Nurses Month to appreciate all you do as caregivers, advocates and educators, and to express my deepest thanks for every single one of you and the work you do tirelessly, every day.
Sincerely,
Tommye Austin, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC
BJC HealthCare senior vice president and chief nurse executive of the eastern region
For information about nursing careers at BJC, please visit bjccareers.org/nursing.