Mena Regional Health System Celebrating National Nurses Week

By: Sam Jordan, Editor

(MENA)  National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare field, and typically are on the frontlines when you go to the emergency room, doctors office or taking care of our military service members at home or abroad.

Nurses range from C.N.A. (Certified Nurse Aides), L.P.N. (Licensed Practical Nurse) and R.N. (Registered Nurse). In recent years, they have developed a field of Nurse Practitioners, which has quickly become one of the nation’s most in-demand roles, which is no surprise considering its remarkable versatility.

With five areas of concentrations that covers adult, geriatric, pediatric, family, and mental health care. These professionals are sometimes the quickest to be able to treat patients, in which doctors are not readily available.

There has been a shortage of medical professionals for many years, but college campuses such as the University of Arkansas – Rich Mountain, has put a emphasis of training and educating students in the medical field of nursing.

Mena Regional Health System will be celebrating National Nurse’s Week with a variety of activities to show appreciation to their nursing staff for their caring, compassionate, dedicated and professional service provided to patients throughout the year.     

Nurses’ Week t-shirts will be distributed to all nursing staff and snacks will be served. The staff will also enjoy birthday cake and a celebration in honor of Florence Nightingale.

Mena Regional Health System currently employees 133 part-time and full-time nurses.

The long-term nurses that have served at the facility for over 20 years include: Sara Hale, Director; Pam Posey, Director; Belva McDaniel, RN; Darlene Hesterlee, RN; Cynthia George, LPN; Vickie Huff, LPN; Becky Richardson, (PRN)LPN; Angela Cunningham, LPN; Roger Vandeest, RN; Debbie Nelson, Nurse Manager; and Kathy Hopper, RN. “

The exceptional nursing staff of Mena Regional Health System is one of the primary reasons that we can deliver high-quality, patient-centered care to the citizens of Mena, Polk County and the surrounding areas. Their dedication and compassion, along with their clinical competence and focus on achieving outstanding clinical results makes our organization special,” stated Rick Billingsley, Chief Nursing Officer.

As for myself, I have a son that is undergoing training to become a nurse. He is doing this through the G. I. Bill, because of his military career that he has been involved with since 2007. His future wife has been a nurse for many years too.

My daughter in law is a Visiting Nurse in Arizona. Another daughter in law is a Director of Nursing for a hospital in Northeast Pennsylvania, and has enjoyed the interaction with the many patients that have came through those emergency room doors.

Though, the utmost importance for a nurse is to get their patients feeling better quickly and get them on their way.

Often nurses are the ones that we see first, the most often and sometimes are people that you come to know on a first name basis.

When you see a nurse, tell them THANK YOU for choosing to put others needs first in their life. They truly care about you.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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