Celebrating Nurses Week Locally

Tuesday, 11 May 2021 at 13:33

One way you can celebrate nurses week and say thank you to our everyday heroes is by getting a vaccine when it's your turn and following public health guidelines.

OXFORD COUNTY - It's National nurses week and the perfect time to sit back and appreciate our everyday heroes who have been battling the front lines of COVID-19.

A new poll found many nurses are considering leaving the profession because of pandemic burnout. Ontario nurses are emotionally exhausted by the pandemic and overworked.

Nurses have been working the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and have made tremendous sacrifices for our health and well-being.

Southwestern Public Health recently made a video for nurses week.

It's National #NursingWeek2021 and the theme is #WeAnswerTheCall
We are delighted to present this short video to acknowledge and thank nurses for their expertise, professionalism and dedication to keeping people healthy in our community. #ThankYou pic.twitter.com/bLqIC2PHXW
— Southwestern Public Health (@SW_PublicHealth) May 10, 2021

VP of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer Jayne Menard says their nursing week celebrations are a little more subdued this year.

"Everything we are doing is with safe practices and condoned by infection control to make sure the staff are safe during any activities or treats or that kind of thing."

Woodstock Hospital has distributed treat bags to nurses and all staff this week as a way to say thank you. Booster Juice stopped by earlier today and gave everyone a smoothie. Other things they are doing include bringing in experts to manage your wellbeing with virtual seminars. They are also playing some games, giving out prizes and awards. They created staff appreciation boards and they will be creating a video at the end of the week that will showcase all of the different boards and messages that staff have sent to each other.

Menard explains the best thing the general public can do to say thank you to all our front line heroes.

"It has been a strain, it's been going on for over a year now and it has taken a toll. The best thing you can do is to maintain safe practices, wear a mask, social distance and self isolate when you are sick that is really the best thing the public can do to help us, because we really do want to get ahead of this pandemic and get it trending downwards and get a vaccine, that would be really helpful."