‘It’s a profession that gives’: Nebraskans celebrate Nurse Appreciation Week

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Nurses are being celebrated across the country this week for their hard work and dedication to the profession.

Nurse Appreciation Week began on Friday and goes until Thursday.  On Monday, nurses across Nebraska came together to talk about their passion for the work that they do.

“What truly fills my cup is having the opportunity to love every individual that comes in no matter where they are in their walk of life and making sure that they know they’re not alone,” said Lacie Ferguson, a nurse at Bryan Health.

Nurses also spoke about why they decided to become a health care worker, despite it being a challenging profession.

“I truly realized that being there for people on sometimes the worst day of their life is essential, and if we can provide any type of assistance to them or their family, it’s just a lot bigger than the patient that you’re taking care of,” said Nia Bickert, a nurse at Bryan Health.  “Just having that personal experience really showed me this is where I’m supposed to be.”

Local health officials say it is important to thank our nurses for the hard work that they do.

“It’s a profession that gives, and we give and we give, so once in a while, it’s nice to have that recognition to feel valued,” said Kari Wade, president of the Nebraska Nurses Association.  “It’s just a way to say thank you and to recognize the work that they do.”