Seven Ways to Support a Local Nurse

Within the past several years, the nursing profession has changed forever due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation’s increasing nursing workforce shortage, and growth of the “great resignation”. Nevertheless, on a daily basis nurses continue to show up and provide exceptional care with compassion and resilience for those in need. By continuing to adapt in this rapidly changing field while keeping their communities safe and healthy, you may be thinking “what can I do to support local nurses”? The seven tips below will give you ideas on how you can personally give back to these real-life heroes and contribute to Nightingale’s dream of better health and better humanity for a better world. 

1. Support the next generation of nurses by donating to the Nightingale Foundation Scholarship Program.
By supporting current and prospective nursing students, you are directly providing financial resources for those who are wanting to make a difference in the field of nursing. When these individuals obtain their nursing degree, not only will they help existing nurses by joining the nursing workforce, but they will also contribute to alleviating the nursing shortage in our country.

If you are interested in donating to the Nightingale Foundation scholarship program you make your contribution here: https://nightingalefoundation.com/donations/donate/  

2. Make yourself aware.
Many of us can’t begin to comprehend what goes on in the life of a nurse on a daily basis. Nurses are not only there to provide care to their patients, but they are also respected educators, researchers, and advocates for the health and wellbeing of their communities. Making yourself aware of what it means to be a nurse offers a sense of knowledge and let’s nurses know that not only do you respect their profession and that you have an idea of what it is that they contribute to the lives of others.

If you would like to learn more about the role of a nurse, you can click the link provided to read about their importance within the healthcare industry.
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Roles-of-a-Nurse.aspx  

3. Ask how you can be a helping hand in their personal lives.
Nurses are not only important assets to our communities, but they are also our friends and neighbors. Each person reading this knows at least one nurse and with those exhausting twelve-hour shifts, the nurses that you know might not have time to go to the grocery store, walk their dog, or go to their kids’ extracurricular activities. Offer to be a helping hand in their lives by running some errands for them, watering their plants, or simply getting them lunch or a coffee. By offering yourself as support in their lives, they will have a little more time to live a somewhat ordinary life if they have a few less things to worry about and with less on their plate, maybe they will even get home in enough time to have dinner with their families and tuck their kids in at night. 

4. Show kindness and empathy.
For many nurses, knowing that there are individuals in their communities that genuinely care and who are willing to listen and show compassion contributes to helping them feel less stressed and isolated. In a world that does not know the complicated nature of a day in their shoes, work on being a shoulder to lean on, a voice of reason, and a vessel of love for the nurses in your community by simply showing up for them when they need an extra dose of human interaction. By conveying a safe space for them to be able to vent their hardships, you are letting yourself be a haven for them to feel and express their emotions, which is more valuable than words can say.  

5. Volunteer at your local hospital or clinic.
Hospitals are always in need of extra assistance and volunteering is a great way to donate your time to the nursing community. By volunteering your time at your local hospital or clinic you are taking a layer of stress off of a nurse’s shoulders. Although you won’t be checking vitals or diagnosing patients, you could be helping with a variety of other tasks such as running errands, preparing, or organizing activities, preparing meals, doing laundry, or just being a friendly face for patients to talk and spend time with. Check with the local hospitals or clinics in your area to see if they are accepting applications for volunteers.  

6. Vote
Sharing your concerns and being a voice when it comes to nurses on a local, state, or federal level can be worth more than any dollar. Being a registered voter and advocating for policies that benefit those who work in healthcare is a step in the right direction. By voting for candidates who are working to create solutions to solve the nursing shortage, raise nursing wages, and help create strategies that protect against nursing violence, you are using your input to better the lives of nurses across the United States. If you are not registered to vote you can do so in the link here: https://vote.gov/  

7. Say ‘thank you.’
Two simple words can mean the world for these nurses who are putting themselves at risk every day for the wellbeing of others. Thanking a nurse for showing up and demonstrating their knowledge, expertise, and care for you or your loved one in your situation keeps nurses inspired and motivated. If you are willing, you can share your experience on social media to let others know how this nurse made a difference in your health journey. You can even go the extra mile and see about talking to your nurse’s supervisor to let them know about the great experience you had so that they can get recognized in their work setting as well.