Do You Know An Amazing Nurse? Enter Them In The Johnson & Johnson Amazing Nurses Contest!

This morning I was remembering last summer, 2011.  It was a difficult time for our family.  My mom had a knee replacement surgery and shortly after that my dad collapsed, cardiac arrest.  They both recovered… eventually, but it was a long road.  My dad ended up going into a nursing home for a few weeks, which was very traumatic for him and for the rest of the family.  But, there were a few inspiring events during that time.  One, was the way my friends responded and came to our aid.  When we had no idea where to turn, I posted on Facebook and within an hour we had invaluable information about nursing homes in the area.  It was truly amazing the way people rallied to help us find somewhere to help my dad.

The second strong impression during that difficult time was the kindness of the nurses at the health center we chose to care for my dad.  The nurses had such difficult, difficult jobs but they did them with cheerful attitudes, grace, and kindness.  One nurse in particular, bonded with my six year old daughter and helped her deal with the new and scary things she was faced with when visiting Grandpa.  She not only took care of my Dad, she took care of our whole family.  Above and beyond the physical caretaking that was part of her job, she embraced us.  Her confident, warm heart healed all of us.

“…nursing is a highly regarded profession: a 2011 Gallup Poll announced that the public voted nurses number one for “honesty and ethical standards of various professions” for the eighth consecutive year. Nurses offer patients comfort, care and skill that is desperately needed in patient care. The time is now to encourage and celebrate this important role in our healthcare system.”

Do you know a nurse that has made a difference in your life or the life of your loved one?  Johnson & Johnson is celebrating amazing nurses and sponsoring a contest!  If you are over 18, you can nominate a nurse that has inspired you.  It’s easy to do, visit the Johnson & Johnson Facebook page and fill out a simple form.  In your own words, describe why your nominee deserves recognition as an Amazing Nurse.  Maybe your nominee will win.  What is the prize?

• The winning Amazing Nurse and his/her guest will attend the 2012 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute show in Los Angeles, courtesy of CNN. He or she will also be honored in a video profile which will be screened before the live audience at the show, and featured on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook page. (*Eligible Nominees for the Amazing Nurses contest must be a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) who currently administers direct patient care.)

In the past there have been surpluses and shortages in available nursing staff, it seems like a cyclical shift.  Right now, because people are living longer and need more care, there is a shortage of nurses and it is predicted to worsen.  I’m sad to say, there is currently a nationwide vacancy of over 100,000 positions, and that number is expected to grow to 800,000 by the year 2020.  On the positive side of that, if you know someone making a career choice, it’s an excellent time to enter the nursing field.

To learn more and/or nominate an Amazing Nurse you’ve met, go to the Amazing Nurse Facebook tab or Amazing Nurses website.

But hurry!  Don’t delay, nominations for the Amazing Nurse Contest close 6/29!

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.