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HomeNewsNational Nurses Week boosts skills at Fort Campbell's Blanchfield Army Community Hospital

National Nurses Week boosts skills at Fort Campbell’s Blanchfield Army Community Hospital

Written by David E. Gillespie
Blanchfield Army Community Hospital

Blanchfield Army Hospital - BACH - Fort Campbell KYFort Campbell, KY – While Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) celebrated National Nurses Week, the nurses themselves demonstrated their relentless commitment to the profession, using the week to train and hone their skills in providing quality and compassionate care to patients.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends May 12th, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern nursing. For many hospitals, the week’s focus is on recognizing nurses for their invaluable work and giving a well-deserved pat on the back.

Whitney Sutton, a licensed practical nurse, checks a patient's vitals at Byrd Family Medical Home. (David E. Gillespie/BACH)
Whitney Sutton, a licensed practical nurse, checks a patient’s vitals at Byrd Family Medical Home. (David E. Gillespie/BACH)

At BACH, as well as medical homes and clinics throughout Fort Campbell, the focus centered on assisting nurses with delivering the highest quality care to their patients.

“Nurses Week specifically allows nurses to obtain or maintain confidence in their abilities,” said Col. Julie Lomax, deputy commander for nursing. “This week boosts teamwork and helps nurses identify ways they can continue to better themselves for their patients and this organization. We all strive to grow and learn each day.”

During the week’s opening ceremony, Lomax explained the goal is to always provide a healthy environment for nurses. “In some ways, solutions are not so obvious. We need nurses to have self-awareness – knowing where they are mentally, physically and spiritually. That allows them to be the best person at this job and the best person in the community.”

The week’s events were designed specifically for that reason, Lomax said. “We incorporated activities like meditation, yoga and controlled breathing classes during Nurses Week. We also included a Skills Fair, which is essential in maintaining nursing skills, as well as learning new processes.”

For nurses to take great care of patients, they must also take great care of themselves, added Maj. Trena Buggs, officer in charge of Labor and Delivery. “We planned these events to support nurses in staying healthy, being ethical and continuing to provide quality care.”

“We are the doorkeepers for our patients; we are the advocates for our patients. We have to ensure they are cared for properly and getting the care they need. In order for us to do that, we must ensure we maintain our skills, get proper sleep and use techniques to reduce our stress,” Buggs said.

The theme of this year’s Nurses Week is Ethical Nursing Lighting the Way to Quality Care, which emphasizes the importance of ethics in nursing and recognizes the compassion and care within the profession.

“The ‘lighting’ comes from Florence Nightingale, who used to carry lanterns in the middle of the night to provide nurse care,” Buggs explained. “She was also a noted leader in ethical nursing, so it was important that we pay tribute.”

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