Happy Nurse's Day - Oops, Excuse Me, I Meant Hospital Week

Yes once upon a time children nurse's had one day a year when they were celebrated. Kinda like Mothers and Fathers do. And it was nice.

In fact the nicest Nurse's Day I ever had was the very first year I was a nurse.....the DON (Director of Nursing for those of you who dont know) came around our medium sized community hospital, and pinned a corsage on each nurse (ermagawd, dont report that to Infection Control!!!).....the very best things is - she knew the names of all of her nurses so she always had something special and personal to say to each person.

And then different hospitals started celebrating in different ways. Special meals for the nurses, special gifts. Another hospital actually had a nice little breakfast for the nurses - all the serving done by management - with a nice little talk about Florence Nightengale. Now dont get me wrong, Flo was a wonderful old gal but when you have just worked your what-ever-in-a-row nightshift, and sitting down to eat a carb heavy meal waiting for the prizes, the gifts, the raffles whatever, well, nightshift could get a little punchy.....yup we got ourselves in trouble one year when we all got the giggles and just could not stop....

But lets go thru the years when apparently someone got their tiny little knickers in a twist because ONLY nurses were getting recognition so it morphed into Nurses Day and Hospital Week so that ALL the employees could be involved with the meals and special gifts.....wah wah wah.

And so now the gifts are more generic, and cheaper. Lunch bags that rip within a week or so.....one year we got a nice backpack but they didnt stand up to much....a messenger bag that was a bit more sturdy.....a beach towel that was so thin  it did not make its way thru the first wash without starting to disintegrate. We did get a nice backed picnic blanket and an especially nice trunk organizer that I am still using. But this year.....well, this year was the piece de resistance.

An 8" x 5.75" bamboo (Made in CHina of course) cutting board. Oh I guess I could put it in my Nurse's Day lunch bag......nope, that bit the dust within weeks after getting it......and why would I take it to work anyway? I would be assuming I would actually get a long enough lunch to have time to cut cheese up....well, maybe I could because at the size this is there wouldnt be much cheese to cut up.

Well, just something else that will set around and then end up at Goodwill like all those Made in China water bottles. I try very hard not to buy anything Made in CHina that is going to come in contact with food or drink you see.

So present a problem or complaint, no present a solution. How about all year long we are recognized - hey good job everyone - it was a hell of a shift but you pulled together and we all survived! Or - hey, I see you are really busy, what can I do to help you?  Coupons for coffee or ice cream or bagels or a movie (guess that would mean we have a life outside work tho). Little things but heartfelt things....not jsut oh yeah, gott get everyone some sort of generic gift to make them all happy for Hospital Week. Who has the beast specials on?

So I know I am coming off sounding very unappreciative and you are right - employees should not have to wait for one day or one week per year to be shown they are appreciated by some chintzy gift. It should be a year round process - and it only takes little personal things to make people happier.