May 2, 2020

Gov. Inslee Proclaims May as Nurses Month

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has issued a proclamation declaring this Nurses Month in Washington, adding to the national and international chorus of recognition and praise for the role of nurses in our healthcare system and their unique role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic—a role that has also been recognized by the World Health Organization in designating this as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and the international Nursing Now initiative that is advancing the visibility and stature of the profession globally.

Every nurse everywhere should take enormous pride in our profession. Every day, we provide the medical care that saves lives, relieves anxiety, and helps people confront medical challenges. We do this in war and peace, in urban and rural environments, in private practices and large hospitals. We serve infants just beginning their lives, and the elderly coming to the end of their life journey. We help without regard to race, religion, or anything other than a human being’s need for care.

We are masters of modern medical technology, and also stewards of a tradition that recognizes how much a caring word or moments of just listening can mean to a patient. We are the bridge between complicated medical language and the patient who just wants to understand what’s wrong and what can be done to make it better. We are the encouragers and consolers and (when necessary) the cajolers. Like performers, we “read the room” and know what to say and what to left unsaid.

For these and many other reasons, we are the most trusted profession in America. It’s something we can all be very proud of, just as we can be proud to once again nurses doing an extraordinary job under unbelievably difficult circumstances as we face a pandemic.

I congratulate and salute and admire every nurse. I join the governor, the state, and the world in celebrating your dedication, your perseverance, and your commitment to a profession that cares.