May 6 – 12 is National Nurses Week, an opportunity to celebrate the hard-working and dedicated nurses providing care and support for patients day in and day out.

Our nurses are essential to great health care. Nurses at Hereford Regional Medical Center and the Hereford Health Clinic provide excellent care across many specialties for patients at every age and stage of life.

Nurses also spend a significant amount of time educating and supporting every patient and family who trusts Deaf Smith County Hospital District for their health care.

“The great work our nurses do allows us to continually advance care for our community,” said Candice Smith, MSN, RHCNOC, CCRN, Deaf Smith County Hospital District CEO. “Their passion for delivering excellent care and supporting our patients and their families fuels the high-quality health care that our community knows and trusts.”

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends May 12 in recognition of Florence Nightingale’s birthday. If you know a nurse, join us in giving them a special word of appreciation and celebrate the contributions of nurses who provide expert care, support patient safety, and advance the nursing profession. Now is the perfect time to say “thank you” to nurses for the vital role they play.

It has never been a more critical time to consider the role nurses play in our communities. According to the American Hospital Association, nursing workforce numbers are not on track to meet future demand, with more than 600,000 nurses reporting an intent to leave the workforce by 2027.