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38 NURSING SPOTLIGHT The backbone of healthcare: 3 CNOs on what COVID-19 has taught us about nursing By Mackenzie Bean, Gabrielle Masson and Anuja Vaidya T he COVID-19 pandemic has under- scored the crucial role nurses play in the U.S. healthcare system, bringing a spirit of strength, ingenuity and courage to their work. In recognition of National Nurses Week, which ended May 12, Becker's asked nurse executives to share what the pandemic has taught us about nursing and what lasting effects it may have on the profession. eir responses are below. Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity. Wilhelmina Manzano, RN, senior vice presi- dent, chief nursing executive and chief qual- ity officer at NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City): "e truth about the value of nurs- es was further affirmed. We know that nurses are the backbone of American healthcare, and oen its heart and soul. In these unprecedented times, nurses answered the call of duty with great bravery even at personal cost, putting themselves at risk to alleviate suffering and save lives. ree words: Strength. Dedication. Compassion. We have seen how nurses can contribute in so many critical ways, adapt to changing and complex clinical situations, and take the lead in the fight against COVID-19. "e COVID-19 pandemic will impact nursing as a profession in the future. It has shown us that we need to build our intensive care unit capacity, which of course exacerbates the current shortage of nurses, especially in critical care and emergency room nursing. e 'glass half-full' perspective points to the possibility of seeing a great influx of people into nursing. It also begs the question of how we are preparing our future nurses to ensure clinical compe- tencies that will meet the needs of the 'new normal' so that we can continue to deliver safe care. Finally, there is no question that we need to continue to invest in nursing, nursing edu- cation and leadership to ensure that healthcare and patient care remain in very capable hands and we can sleep peacefully at night." Trish Celano, MSN, RN, senior vice pres- ident, associate chief clinical officer and chief nursing executive at AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.): "is pandemic has shown the strength of our nurses as they continue to walk in their calling. It takes dedication and courage to selflessly show up for others, especially in such trying times. Each nurse may choose this career for differ- ent reasons, but we believe nursing chooses them because of who they are." David Marshall, DNP, RN, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles): "Part of our culture at Cedars-Sinai is a commitment to innovation. Our nurses have shared their ingenuity in tackling some of the big-pic- ture problems, helping to puzzle out how we would use every available inch of space in the event of a surge and how we would dramatically increase how many ICU pa- tients we could serve. Over the years, we've won awards and designations for our ability to test and implement new procedures, but what truly inspires is how these ideas are born. Trace them back to the beginning, and you will find a nurse or cluster of nurses who just wanted to make their patients' lives better, increase their comfort and protect their safety. "At the same time we are implementing these innovations, we are dealing with the uncer- tainty inherent in this kind of unparalleled crisis. Many of us are juggling new respon- sibilities as a result of these changes while managing the understandable anxieties and problems that arise at work and in our daily lives. Hopefully, we can sustain the innova- tions and face what will almost certainly be a changed business." n 3 nurses on the most misunderstood notions about their profession By Anuja Vaidya B ecker's asked three nurses to share what people tend to misunderstand most about the profession. Their responses are below. Note: The following responses were edited for length and clarity. Jennifer Key, CNO at Piedmont Newnan (Ga.) Hospital: That 'all nurses are the same.' Just like in other medical professions, nurses have specializa- tions, competencies and credentials. Examples include emergency medicine, oncology, pediatrics, labor and delivery, critical care, professor, executive and practitioner. The professional nurse has individual expertise that can be used to provide care in a variety of clinical settings. Winter Chambers, RN-BC, Nurse Educator at Covenant Medical Center (Lubbock, Texas): The most commonly misunderstood notion about nurs- ing is the thought that nurses only follow doctors around and do whatever the doctor asks. Nurses are the last line of defense before a negative action takes place. If an order is entered incorrectly and the nurse does not rea- son through the order and question the possible consequence of following through with the order, the patient could be harmed. Nurses are the patient's advocate. The voice of the nurse matters. Connie Gonzales, RN, Nurse Manager, Critical Care at Covenant Medical Center (Lubbock, Texas): Nurses do a lot of physical labor during a 12-hour shift, and they get dirty. They also can take a lot of abuse from patients and families, despite being kind and compassionate, due to the nature of some illnesses or trauma to the patient. Luckily these things don't happen every day and we are able to have sacred encounters with our patients which fills our cup for those days that are not as rewarding. n