Special events planned
The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has been celebrating Nurses Week with a “slate of activities recognizing the care and commitment of its more than 3,000 nurses and 1,000-plus patient care and multi-skilled technologists who support nursing care,” the health care system announced in a news release.
National Nurses Week is a time when “hospitals, health care professionals and communities recognize the contributions and positive impact of America’s 4 million registered nurses,” the release points out. “Each year, the celebration begins on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday,” the release notes.
“Nursing is one of the most trusted professions in the world, and we can’t thank them enough for the vital roles they play,” said Sarasota Memorial Chief Nursing Officer Connie Andersen in the release. “Whether in our hospital or one of our outpatient settings, our patients benefit from their exceptional skills and care.”
In addition to unit-based celebrations throughout the week, chaplains planned to make rounds throughout clinical areas on May 9 “for the popular ‘Blessing of the Hands’ ceremony, a tradition in which chaplains anoint nurses’ hands with oil and bless them as instruments of healing,” the release explains.
On May 11, the health system was scheduled to host its annual Nurse of Excellence ceremony, presenting awards to “clinicians and nursing leaders who epitomize the values that have made Sarasota Memorial a ‘Magnet Hospital’ for nurses,” the release adds.
Sarasota Memorial (SMH) is the only Magnet Hospital in the region — “the nation’s highest nursing honor,” the release notes. “SMH has received continuous Magnet designation since 2003. Each four-year designation requires that the health care system pass “a rigorous survey” and achieve high quality standards, the release points out.
In March, the release continues, “Sarasota Memorial also was ranked in the top 10 hospitals for nurses in the state of Florida, and the highest in the region, according to the NurseJournal, a national resource in education and career development for nurses and aspiring healthcare professionals.