Kammie Monarch:
Good afternoon, everyone. This is Kammie Monarch, Chief Nursing Officer at San
Juan Regional Medical Center, bringing to you this National Nurses Week
Celebration. My hope is that the writing that I'll be sharing will be
inspirational for you if you're a nurse and, if you're not a nurse and you know
someone who is, give you an opportunity to have some perspective about their
profession and what it means to each of us.

For those of you who are nurses, we know that nursing is both a
scientific profession as well as a ministry opportunity for us to show
compassion and care and concern for patients and their loved ones as we care
for them. And we also know that being a nurse means that we have a lot of
expectations that we're expected to meet, mostly those prescribed by the Board
of Nursing and, in New Mexico, it's the New Mexico Board of Nursing.

But nursing is more than that. And so, I'd like to read a piece
that was originally written by Melodie Chenevert, and I've adapted it a bit for
this greeting, but I hope it's inspirational for you as we celebrate National
Nurses Week 2023.

Being a nurse means that we are never bored. Being a nurse
means that we will be frustrated. Being a nurse means that we'll be surrounded
by challenges, so much to do and so little time. Being a nurse means that we
carry immense responsibility and less authority. Being a nurse means that we
step into people's lives and we make a difference. Some patients and loved ones
will bless us, some may curse us. But we'll see people at their worst and at
their very best. Being a nurse means that we'll never cease to be amazed at
people's capacity for love, courage and endurance. And I would say that I never
ceased to be amazed at a nurse's capacity for love, courage and endurance. We
see life begin and end. Being a nurse means that we experience resounding
triumphs and devastating failures. Being a nurse means that we may cry a lot.
It also means that we laugh a lot. Being a nurse means that we know what it is
to be human and to be humane.

In my mind, there's no greater calling than to be a nurse. And
I am so proud to be a nurse with you in 2023. Thank you very much.