Happy Nursing Week 2015!!

To the past, present and future registered nurses: Happy Nurses Week!!
Being a RN is a very rewarding, stressful, fulfilling, and difficult career. I have been a RN since 2006. I can honestly say that nursing school is one of the most difficult experiences of my life. There is a reason that there are memes describing it as awful, comparing it to the Hunger Game and/or riding a bike while on fire. It is hard. Anyone who is currently in nursing school or has successfully made it through nursing school - I applaud your efforts. It's not easy.

Me @ nursing clinical - I was so excited.

FSU Clinical Group

FSU Clinical Group

Throughout my career I have met many great nurses. Nursing as a career isn't easy. Depending on where you work, it can be busy, thankless, and stressful. It can also be beautiful and filled with moments that you will never forget. I have been a witness to the start of a life. I can been witness to the end of a life. I have seen tragedy. I have seen happiness. As an emergency room nurse, it is likely that I have seen every emotion that humans can feel. Maybe in one 12 hour shift.

So, what is nurse's week? Do you know why we celebrate it when we do?

Nurses week is celebrated May 6th-May 12th. These dates were chosen to celebrate the legacy of Florence Nightingale (who I lovingly refer to as "Flo"... like we were besties, ya know?). Flo's birthday is May 12th, so we celebrate the week before and the days leading up to Flo's birthday. Typically hospitals will celebrate by providing gifts to their staff and having a special day were the RN's were their white nursing caps and caps. You see, Flo is a nurse who became famous for treating wounded soldiers during the Crimean war. Not only did she care for wounded soldiers, but she helped establish nursing as a profession. She founded the first nursing school in 1860, which was the first school for professional nursing in the world. Flo is also known as the "Lady with the Lamp" since she  carried a lamp through the wards of the hospitals. There's your history lesson for the day.

2015 Nurses Week Promotions and Specials:

Free Promotional Nursing Materials: Free coloring books, magnets, brochures, and pins

Cinnabon: participating Cinnabon bakeries will offer nurses a free Cinnabon Classic Roll or MiniBon® roll when they present their healthcare ID badge

NY & Company: We love nurses & teachers! As a thank you for all you do, we’re giving you 30% off everything! Shop Teachers and Nurses Appreciation Week now – May 5th in stores (with valid ID) and online using promo 9818 at checkout.
ANA Nursebooks.org: 10% off all ANA books!
Uniform City: 20% off scrubs!
Uniform Advantage: 20% select brands
All Heart: Uniforms and medical supplies - sale on certain brands and items
Do you know of any Nurse's Week Deals??

Happy Nurse's Week!

I have been a nurse since 2006. It's not easy. The majority of my career has been spent in the emergency room and I have loved every minute of it. Every day is different. Some days you see a life saved, some days you see a life end. It's very stressful, but is also a very rewarding profession. I don't talk about my job very much on here, and that's on purpose. This is my escape from the realities of everyday life. 

Here's a couple of posts I have done about my life as a nurse: Notes on Nursing at sweet silver lining, Tales from the ER at LaLaLists and Day #89.2: Vulnerable.
I'm no longer in the nursing trenches- my days of 12 hour shifts, working on my feet all day in the trauma rooms, going hours without food and bathroom breaks are behind me- at this stage in my life anyways. I'm not sure if I will ever return to the front lines of emergency nursing because who knows where my career will take me. I definitely would work the floor again. Currently, I sit in the background working as an education specialist, which has rewards that are much different than than before. I get to help new staff start their ER career and guide them through until they either move up or move on. It's very rewarding to watch them grow! Of course, there's always those difficult conversations when someone doesn't quite make it in the department. Fortunately, those are fewer and far between. Anyways, to all my fellow nurse's and murse's out there- Happy Nurse's Week!

Are any of my readers nurse's or nursing assistants? If so, give me a shout and I will advertise your blog on my sidebar and give you a shout-out in a blog post! 
Anna from The Days When I'm Not a Nurse blog has a list of great nurse's week deals and great giveaways this week! Check her blog out here.