ANSBACH, Germany (May 5, 2020) – A profession that requires compassion and patience, Nurses do so much more than care for those who are sick. They provide support to their fellow nurses and the doctors they work for.
National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12. However, the World Health Organization designated 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife,” to honor the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the world’s most famous nurse.
The Ansbach Army Health Clinic is celebrating National Nurses Week this year by highlighting the 11 nurses that support the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach community.
“Each nurse usually has about 500 patients that they are caring for,” said Lt. Col. Randy Viray, Chief Nurse. “Our biggest challenge specifically in Ansbach is that we are a small clinic so we are a small team.”
Even as a small team, they know their worth, even if they are not always recognized for it.
“We are definitely the people that make a huge difference in the patient’s lives and family members lives because we are with them probably more than any other profession,” said Cpt. SvetlanaConnor, Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge. “If you do shift work, you are with that patient for 12 hours verses a doctor that pops in for a few minutes. So we have a huge impact, and I think it’s a good reminder for all of us nurses to remember that.”
It has been an especially hard time on the medical field during the COVID-19 epidemic. Circumstances demand physical distancing, but nurses are used to be hands-on and seeing patients face-to-face. However, the clinic has been innovative in ensuring the care of the community.
Viray said the clinic ensured the nurses were paired with specific doctors so that on the days the doctors needed to see patients, those nurses were called in from teleworking. But, that doesn’t mean patient care stops.
“While they are on telework they are caring for their [patient load], doing a lot of virtual appointments, talking to their patients,” he said.
Dr. Nanda, Medical Director, said doctors could not provide such safe and quality healthcare to the patients within the community with the nurses.
“Life is easy with these nurses. Nurses have picked up so much of the workload,” he said. “They are putting everything in the computer, talking to the labs … and during the procedure, guess who is holding your hand; the nurse.”
The Ansbach Army Health Clinic provides ambulatory care for more than 6,000 local Soldiers, civilians and family members.
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