Florence Nightingale is widely regarded as the founder of modern nursing, and a celebrated social reformer and statistician. National Nurses Week from May 6 – 12 every year commemorates the achievements of Nightingale and her fellow nurses as foundational to the professionalization of nursing, and their important roles in health care and health education which they provide to patients throughout the world.
In 1982 Former President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation stating that May 6 will be known as “National Recognition Day for Nurses,” and in 1993 the American Nurses Association directors designated May 6 – 12 as National Nurses week, ending on Nightingale’s birthday.
Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) nurses are a diverse and highly skilled group of individuals who serve the more than 850,000 residents of Cobb and Douglas counties. They provide residents with a myriad of front-line services and expertise including immunizations, infectious disease testing & counseling, family health & planning, child development, triage, emergency preparedness & response dispensary management and many other crucial activities that directly impact CDPH’s commitment to improving and protecting the health and wellness of our residents.
“Nurses are the personality and ministers of healthcare. They directly provide patient intake, talk with patients about their health concerns, administer vaccines and medicines, and have opportunities to create special bonds with patients and families,” said Dr. Jack Kennedy, District Director of Cobb & Douglas Public Health. “Nurses also have a critical role in providing follow-up care for residents. Our nurses at Cobb & Douglas Public Health go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure our residents are educated about care and comfortable with the care they receive whether that means calling patients to remind them about their medications, or providing medical guidance and reassurance to a nervous parent about their child.”
This National Nurses Week, CDPH extends heartfelt gratitude to all of its nurses. We couldn’t provide our public health services to the residents of Cobb and Douglas counties with as much trust, dedication or compassion without you!