Like so many of her peers, Mildred Bodon knew right away the perfect fit for her compassionate spirit: nursing.
"You just know," said Bodon, a critical-care nurse in her native Puerto Rico before coming to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center (CRDAMC) more than 25 years ago.
For Bodon, caring for the terminally ill and honoring them until their final second on earth was the magnet that drew her to nursing.
"I want them to know that they're not alone," said the CRDAMC oncology and hematology nurse who has cared for the sick and dying for more than 43 years. "I treat them with dignity and respect and hold their hands to let them know they matter."
That passion and inspiring service to others earned Bodon CRDAMC's Registered Nurse of the Year honors. Bodon, along with 22 other nursing professionals, were recognized by their peers during CRDAMC's May 11 awards ceremony celebrating National Nurses Week.
Other awardees were: Pfc. Richard Pugh, Mother Baby Unit, Medic/Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year; Contessa Sorrell, Medical-Surgical Pediatrics, Licensed Vocational Nurse of the Year; and Dr. Cheyanne Chan, Pediatric Clinic, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse of the Year.
Receiving the award was an honor, said Bodon, because it "recognizes the nursing profession as a whole and the work we do."
Nationally, the nursing profession is the largest healthcare occupation in the United States. Within the CRDAMC footprint, there are there are more than 1,000 nursing professionals ranging from registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to nurse practitioners and licensed vocational nurses.
"As stakeholders in Army Medicine, the entire nursing team should take great pride in being at the leading edge of care to improve medical readiness and promote health and wellness to all of those entrusted to our care," said Col. Melissa Hoffman, CRDAMC's Chief Nurse Officer during the recognition ceremony. "No matter where you work across the CRDMAC footprint you are key to our number one mission: supporting the readiness and health of the warfighter."
National Nurses Week is a seven-day celebration to raise awareness of the critical role nurses have in saving lives and improving health. It begins annually May 6 and ends May 12 on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
"Sometimes we don't recognize the daily sacrifices and contributions of our staff and the emotional support we not only give to the patients, but also to their families," said Maj. William Murray, Thomas Moore Clinic's chief nurse. "Nursing Week formally recognizes their hard work and dedication."
For Sandra Brown, a nurse practitioner specializing in neurology, nursing week allows those in the profession to pause and reflect on their work and contributions to healthcare.
"I think it's important to acknowledge all that nurses do to help others," said the former Army supply technician turned registered nurse who said taking care of people is just something that comes from within. "Without nurses, the hospital and clinics wouldn't be able to function."
Although Lt. Col. Alicia Surrey has moved from "laboring women and catching babies" to commanding the 900-member CRDAMC Troop Command, the former labor and delivery nurse uses the week to express gratitude to those in the profession.
"It really is a great opportunity to thank those in the profession for their care, compassion and commitment," said Surrey, who nourishes her nursing spirit year-round by supporting the professional development of the military nurses under her command. "In every decision I make as a troop commander, I always think about the nurses working the night shift or on weekends. This is especially important when offering professional development opportunities, mandatory training requirements and other events that tend to be scheduled around a standard duty day."
That same passion extends to CRDAMC's military nurses who, in combat, see so much death.
"Nursing isn't so much about saving lives," said Maj. Keith Denney, chief nurse in CRDAMC's Intensive Care Unit. "It's seeing Soldiers home and making sure no one dies alone. You're that advocate and that person who will stay with that patient no matter what."
Denney, who spent his first 10 years in the Army as an Army air traffic controller, was first exposed to combat medicine during Desert Storm when he would watch combat medics tend to patients at the small hospital next to the airfield.
"I thought it was pretty interesting watching them work on patients," he said, adding that it wasn't until after the birth of his son that the nursing "ah ha" moment came. "I watched this nurse stay with my wife the entire time she was giving birth, which inspired me to learn more about nursing."
After earning his degree, he began his nursing career as a civilian at the local Veterans Administration hospital. After being out of uniform for nearly 10 years, Denney returned to duty at the height of the war in Iraq.
That's when the reality of war hit.
"I had been in Iraq for 14 or 15 months when a kid came in after taking an IED round through the hip," the ICU nurse said, adding that after some rough moments, the Soldier survived. "After 14 months of seeing guys who didn't make it, I got to watch him go home. That's what deployment is all about."
To be a good nurse, Major Murray stressed, one has to have compassion, care, selfless service, duty and honor.
"We are entrusted with our patients lives at their most vulnerable time," he said. "We are here to protect that and take care of them."
Nurses, said Col. Mark Thompson, CRDAMC commander and physician, are the medical teams' most passionate teammates.
"There are lots of people on the team doing important things, but your nursing staff is the most passionate about what's going on," said the neonatologist. "I've seen it over and over again in hospitals around the country, in Afghanistan and other remote places, nurses just give it their all. They're the ones who want to will those patients to be better."
Besides the award ceremony, CRDAMC nurses celebrated the week with various activities, including a breakfast, yoga and Zumba demonstrations and a Blessing of the Hands ritual. This year's theme was Nursing: The balance of the spirit, mind and body.
Social Sharing