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Nurses Week 2020

Nurses on the Front Lines of COVID-19

After comforting a woman she swabbed for COVID-19 testing, registered nurse Jenna Puckett takes a momentary rest before resuming testing at a mobile site in Cape Coral, Florida. "She was afraid and overwhelmed," Puckett said of the woman she tested. "She just needed someone to listen."

We celebrate National Nurses Week May 6 - 12. Lee Health honors and recognizes the contributions made by nurses through a variety of virtual activities, videos and social posts. The Lee County Board of County Commissioners also issued a proclamation to mark the occasion and importance of the profession. National Nurses Week is celebrated annually to raise awareness of the critical role nurses play in healthcare and our society.

Monitoring equipment cords from outside a COVID-19 patient's room are pushed under the door to registered nurse Aubry Sander in the intensive care unit at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida. This is done to reduce the number of times a patient's door is opened and helps prevent cross-contamination.

"This year, more than ever, we are reminded of the selfless and heroic acts our nurses perform on a daily basis," said Lisa Sgarlata, DNP, FACHE, Chief Patient Care Officer and Chief Nurse Executive for Lee Health. "They put themselves on the front lines and we are grateful for the sacrifices they make to ensure our patients receive the best care possible. We cannot thank them enough for their patience, professionalism, hard work and dedication. We are a stronger community because of their commitment to excellence."

Emergency room nurse Tristan Manbevers checks in a woman complaining of COVID-19 symptoms at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida.

Karen Calkins, M.D., left, and Kathy Richards-Bess, LPG system director, Practice Operations, right, share COVID-19 testing updates on a conference call at a mobile testing site set up in a park in Cape Coral, Florida.

The International Council of Nurses 2020 theme, Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to Health, demonstrates how nurses are central to addressing a wide range of health challenges. National Nurses Week will conclude on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the English nurse who became known as the founder of professional nursing due to her pioneering work during the Crimean War. National Nurses Week was first observed in October 1954, the 100th anniversary of her mission to Crimea.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as “The Year of the Nurse and Midwife” to mark the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. National Nursing Associations throughout the world are organizing local events throughout the year to celebrate the profession and demonstrate its unique position in the healthcare landscape.

For more information, visit LeeHealth.org.

Happy Nurses Week!

Lee Health Nursing Annual 2020

As the largest segment of our workforce at more than 4,400 strong, you all embody professionalism, dedication, innovation, influence and inspiration. On behalf of your colleagues throughout Lee Health, our patients, their families and our community, we thank you for the compassionate care you provide every day and night.

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