Nurse spent 40 years caring for patients. This is what she asks of you during coronavirus

As we celebrated Nurses Day on Wednesday, May 6, and Nurses Week, May 6-12, it is my hope that our community, our state and our nation will recognize and honor the true heroes (and their healthcare partners) who are combating this new coronavirus pandemic.

Nurses are ordinary men and women who are striving to give exemplary, compassionate care during this very extraordinary time. But they are also there for their communities every hour, every day, every month, every year and every shift, including weekends and holidays.

They dispense care and compassion to you and your family members, often at great personal sacrifice to themselves and their families, as has been seen by the number of healthcare professionals who have been stricken and passed from the COVID-19 virus.

Having recently retired from our local hospital after almost 40 years of bedside nursing, I can attest to the fact that for most nurses, the nursing profession is a calling, a deep need within our souls to care for and comfort our fellow man. We have been hit, bit, slapped, scratched, punched, burned, hurt and called every name in the book by patients, yet we are still here, still in the trenches, still giving safe, compassionate care without judgment to all our patients.

For me, it was an honor to care for each and every one of my patients — to enter their lives, learn their story, participate in their healing, or simply hold their hand through a difficult time. I learned a valuable life lesson from each and every one of them and/or from their family members.

I have been even more honored to mentor and work with many amazing nurses young and old (and other healthcare team members) over the years. These are incredible professionals who do this difficult and demanding work despite the current healthcare crisis. Please honor them for the work that they do.

And for those of you who believe this pandemic is a “hoax” or a “conspiracy,” talk to these frontline workers who put their lives and their livelihoods on the line every day, caring for these patients and their families who have contracted this virus. Please honor them for their care and commitment.

Instead of flouting the safety directives of our medical professionals, our scientists and our governor, please realize you do have a right to disagree with these life-saving directives, but rights come with responsibilities. It is not your right to endanger others around you or those committed healthcare workers because of your beliefs.

Be responsible. Honor the right of every person and healthcare professional to maintain good health. And especially honor those who take care of you when your own health fails.

Instead of standing in groups on overpasses inciting derisiveness and discontent, or continuing to meet in large groups for whatever reason, or yelling profanities at nurses standing in the road as a counter-protest as they advocate for staff and patient safety (as recently happened in Denver), please use that time and energy in a positive way and honor these committed professionals.

Instead of following the directives of a commander in chief who espouses and encourages derisiveness, hatred, racism, and who touts dangerous, deadly, unproven treatments for the COVID-19 virus, spend that time and energy honoring those healthcare workers who will care for you with compassion and without judgment, regardless of your political or religious affiliations or your station in life — even if you injected disinfectant into your body at our president’s misguided directive.

Do not give honor or credence to a president who believes we must sacrifice the weak to restart our economy. Try to explain that heartless line of thinking to your elder parents or grandparents, or to cancer patients or others who are immunocompromised, or to people with diabetes, heart or lung disease, or other co-morbidities that make them more susceptible to this current virus. To nurses, all lives are precious. I ask that you honor those of us in the healthcare profession who honor all life.

As we mark Nurses Week, I ask you to join me in honoring the nurses and their healthcare teams who honor your life by giving you the best that they have when you need them the most. Thank you to all those who have already shown their appreciation in a multitude of ways. It is much appreciated. Happy Nurses Day/Week to all those committed healthcare professionals.

Tina Locker of Bow is a registered nurse who worked at St. Joseph hospital, which serves Whatcom County, for 40-plus years until her retirement in February 2020.