Kammie Monarch, CNO: Hello, everyone. It is a pleasure to join you today and to celebrate via this podcast National Nurses Week 2024, with the theme of celebrating you and the difference that each of you are making in the lives and experience of patients for whom you share.

I'd like to today's podcast with recognition for a group of registered nurses who have been recently recognized at the statewide level by the Center of Nursing Excellence. They do the annual recognition of outstanding nurses throughout the state. And that most recent experience occurred in Albuquerque on April 6th.

At that meeting, we discovered that of the nominees that San Juan Regional Medical Center submitted, that seven finalists were identified from San Juan Regional Medical Center. Let me share the names of those individuals with you. First, it was Dilan Jones from Women's Health; Second, Raychel Steigelmeyer from Behavioral Health; Connie Grijalva from Medical Surgical; Susan Price from Nursing Professional Development; Sonia Crum, Childbirth Center Women's Services, she's our leader in that service line; Ginger Fosnot, our Case Management Leader; and Patricia Mull, our clinical scholar and leader for Nursing Professional Development and other specialty practice nurses. Each of them was a finalist at the state level, and I think it exemplifies the contributions that they each made to patients that are across their paths and to caregivers last year, but it also represents the support that they and others have received along the way. And so, looking forward to having more of our nominees make it as finalists, celebrating that highlight ceremony with you all as the years go by.

And of that group of seven, we had two individuals who were awarded specific nursing practice specialty awards. And the first was Dilan Jones, the second was Raychel Steigelmeyer. And it's interesting to me to note that for both of these nominations, what they did was so outstanding that panel of a selection committee actually pulled their nominations out and thought they were very deserving of not only being a finalist, but being the awardee in 2024 for their work. And both of these focused on their care of patients with specific, serious, and difference-making needs. Both really took the time to address and interact with the patient as an individual with the needs that they had, and that they were very thoughtfully responsive to those needs. And so, it was a single patient encounter that resulted in their being not only nominated, but winning those awards, Dilan with Women's Health, Rachel in Behavioral Health. So, congratulations to both of you, and those who practice alongside both of them. We know that kind of recognition doesn't happen in a vacuum, but wanted to celebrate each of them.

And then, it seemed fitting to me as this year has unfolded and we're celebrating you and the difference that each of you are making in the experience of patients to maybe reflect on the Nightingale tribute. I think most of us at some point between that last series of final exams and then our taking our state board exams had an opportunity to recite the Nightingale Tribute. And so, I've adapted that a bit and entitled it Be There for the 2024 National Nurses Week celebration.

So, let me just share this with you. I hope you draw strength from it, inspiration, and that together we'll keep working at ensuring that patients at San Juan Regional Medical Center receive not only the best care possible, but also leave with their heart warmed about the compassion and care that each of us extended to them while they were in our midst. So, here's the Nightingale tribute and its adaptation.

When a calming, quiet presence is needed, be there. In the midst of the miracle of birth, be there. When the pain of grief and loss manifest, be there. When a silent glance or kind smile would uplift patients or their loved ones, be there. When the seemingly inexplicable needs explanation, use wisdom and compassion to be there. When a swift foot or a sharp scientific mind is needed, be there. When a gentle touch, encouraging word, or maybe even tough love is needed, be there. When patients or their loved ones express their appreciation, kindly be there. When the beauty and challenging aspects of humanity are witnessed, be there. In good times and bad, without judgment, be there. When embracing the woes of patients and their loved ones, graciously be there, offering words of comfort, encouragement, and hope, be there.

Happy National Nurses Week 2024. Look forward to sharing each and every day with you as this year continues to unfold.