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Nurses Week Recognition

13:00 April 30, 2021
By: Keith John Paul Horcasitas

With Nurses Week coming up from May 6 to May 12, I am writing to thank all "modern day Florence (and Floyd!) Nightingales" for being so integral to the teams I work with in providing holistic care to clients, as well as for being such great role models for all of us in reaching out to all those in need!

Nurses have always been such a blessing to all of us, especially as life-enhancers, life-savers, and life-passer-ons—the latter especially for those whom have died from COVID-19 and for their families, many whom were unable to be with their loved ones during such difficult times.

As a licensed clinical social worker, I particularly recall the late Jo Ellen Smith, RN, whom I had never met but whom had a made an indelible mark on me per my then first hospital work back in the late 1980s at the health center in Algiers that had been named for her.

Jo Ellen, who was unfortunately killed in 1973 during her generous outreach work to a nearby needy area, demonstrated care, compassion, and professionalism...traits that I see all the time in my work with nurses.

So if you are also blessed to see a nurse during this upcoming "Nurses Week," as well as anytime, be sure to give them their well-deserved recognition...maybe through a good old fashioned hand written card, a letter, an email, or flowers, since we are all prudently social distancing.

Like RNs, LCSWs and all health care professionals know what the hallmark to denoting our health care performance and professionalism is: "If you didn't write it...you didn't do it!"

And in these ongoing difficult COVID-19 times, we honor nurses for their true dedication to not only "writing their love" to us so well by their actions, but also for their compassion and love by putting their lives on the line for us and our loved ones.

"Nurses, 'You Are Our Sunshine,'" as I've adapted to the ole famous Jimmie Davis song:


(Chorus:) You nurses are our sunshine, our only sunshine

You make us happy, when skies are gray

You'll never know, nurses, how much we love you

Please don't take our sunshine away


1. The other night, Nurses, as I lay sleeping

I dreamt I saw you helping veterans as a guide

And when I awoke and went to work, I wasn't mistaken

So I thanked the Lord and I cried. (Chorus)


2. You told us once, nurses, that you really loved us

When none of our families could come by

You bridged our love, nurses, and helped us peacefully pass on

We're so grateful to God, you know why…(Chorus)

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