2022 Nurses: The heart of extraordinary care

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD | Sunday, May 8, 2022

Honoring those who give extraordinary care THE 2022 HONOREES | VISIT GO.OMAHA.COM/NURSES2022

Aaron Alvarado

PHOTO BY OSABEE FROM ADOBE STOCK‌

Joey Burt

Melissa Gates

Ann Gray

Charlette Hudson

Crystal Sainato

Cara Sevier

Abigail Steiner

Sheila Lynch Sully

Susan Tishendorf

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

WE ARE NEBRASKA MEDICINE ACUTE CARE NURSES. When you combine the highest clinical quality, a great patient experience and an expert nursing staff, extraordinary things can happen.

AN ACUTE CARE NURSING CAREER WITH NEBRASKA MEDICINE MEANS: • Career development and growth opportunities in an academic medical setting • Ability to work with a variety of patients and specialties • Joining an energetic team that is committed to Innovation, Teamwork, Excellence, Accountability, Courage and Healing

Scan the QR code to apply today.

• Competitive benefits including retirement with matching contributions, tuition assistance, and student loan assistance for eligible positions

Search opportunities for every kind of nurse at NebraskaMed.com/Careers.

Nebraska Medicine is an equal opportunity employer. We provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who can perform the essential functions of an open position. Your application will receive the same consideration as other applicants. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2022 |

We honor 10 nurses who deserve to be recognized — whether they like it or not AMY LAMAR

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s we celebrate Nurses Week and this second year of the World-Herald’s special recognition program, “Nurses: The Heart of Health Care,” we can’t help but reflect on the past year and all that hasn’t changed.

We didn’t think we would still be talking about COVID. And yes, while we may have been able to predict the nursing shortage, we hoped it wouldn’t happen.

But there is still a lot to celebrate. We asked our readers to nominate a nurse who has made a significant impact in their lives or the lives of others, and we’re introducing the honorees on these pages. Nine of them were selected by a panel of health care professionals, while one winner had the readers’ choice vote.

Can you guess what they have in common?

Humility.

“I can name 100 nurses who are better than me and have more intelligence and skills,” said Joey Burt.

Cara Sevier asked, “Why me? Tons of people do this.”

Many of them wanted to share the credit, saying they couldn’t have done it without their families or co-workers. They also talked about how proud they are of the people they work with and all they have been through.

Others downplayed it.

“I do what I do,” said Ann Gray. “And I do it because I was called to serve.”

Do the nurses you know do their jobs out of obligation?

We didn’t think so.

You can’t fake compassion, care and respect — or loving what you do. We know from experience.

The Omaha World-Herald is proud to partner with AARP Nebraska, Nebraska Medicine and Medical Solutions to honor these outstanding nurses.

PHOTO BY 9DREAMSTUDIO FROM ADOBE STOCK

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Thank You! We want to personally thank everyone who was a part of this year’s recognition program for nurses.

NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Sunday, May 8, 2022 |

Your involvement made this special.

Though only ten were recognized, everyone who provides unconditional compassion and care for others is deserving of gratitude.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

To all the courageous, selfless nurses who impact the lives of patients and families, putting your whole heart into caring for others, thank you!

We’re proud and honored to connect life-saving nurses like you to care everywhere. Thank you for always being there.

HAPPY NURSES WEEK! Find out where care can take you at MedicalSolutions.com

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You make a difference today, tomorrow, and every day in our communities.

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OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL OF JUDGES The three judges for the 10 honorees in the annual tribute, “Nurses: The Heart of Health Care,” had a tough task. The salute drew nominations from throughout Nebraska. Nine honorees were chosen by multicriteria ranking while the 10th honoree was chosen in reader’s choice voting online at omaha.com. See each honoree tell their story at go.omaha.com/nurses2022.

SUE NUSS, PH.D.

SUSAN WARD, PH.D.

JAN HERZOG, MSN, RN

Sue Nuss, Ph.D., is chief nursing officer for Nebraska Medicine. She has more than 37 years of nursing experience, including 25 in pediatric oncology and 11 in nursing administration. She holds an associate of nursing degree and doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center; a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York; a master’s degree in nursing from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey; and a master of business administration degree from the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado. She currently is UNMC College of Nursing associate dean for Nebraska Medicine Nursing.

Susan Ward, dean of nursing, has been with Nebraska Methodist College since 2000. As a staff nurse, she practiced in the areas of obstetrical and high-risk obstetrical nursing.

After receiving a master’s degree, she transitioned into nursing education. She has been a nurse educator for the past 23 years and has taught in both the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at Nebraska Methodist College and as an adjunct online instructor in the master’s program at the University of Texas. Ward, who holds a Ph.D., has been published in several medical journals and is the co-author of an obstetrical and pediatric text book package which received American Journal of Nursing Awards in 2009 and 2016.

Jan Herzog has been an AARP volunteer for many years in a number of different areas. She has been primarily focused on issue advocacy for Nebraskans ages 50 and older and helping with AARP member and community events. She volunteered for a medical mission to Guatemala in 2015. Her 47-year career included clinical and administrative positions in critical care, home health care, quality improvement and research.

She received her master of science in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. The majority of her professional career was spent in Philadelphia. In Omaha, she has volunteered with the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Lauritzen Gardens, League of Women Voters, AARP and Douglas County Historical Society.

Nebraska Medicine

Nebraska Methodist College

AARP

Congratulations Cara!

We appreciate all you do for think patients.

Cara Sevier, LPN 2022 Heart of Healthcare Honoree

Just North of 176th & Maple

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Thank you, nurses.

Today and every day, Immanuel is grateful for the care you provide, your endless compassion and the difference you make in the lives of residents and participants.

Thank you for providing Christ-Centered Service to Seniors, Each Other and the Community.

Immanuel.com Affiliated with Nebraska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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Aaron Alvarado has been spreading joy like only a nurse can for three years.

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD‌

AARON ALVARADO BSN, RN Nebraska Medicine

It’s the little things that really count

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aron Alvarado’s path to working on the orthopedics floor of Nebraska Medicine started with lemonade and cookies.

That’s what he was handing out as a volunteer on that same floor in college, and it’s where he eventually became a CNA. Today, Alvarado’s job as a charge nurse consists of overseeing the patient load, supervising a team of nurses and CNAs, and planning the overnight shift’s schedule.

Yes, he has come a long way from his lemonade and cookie days, but it’s not because of anything he has

done on his own, he said. “There is a great amount of teamwork in my unit, and a strong support system behind me.”

His patients see it differently. Thanks to Alvarado’s special trips to the hospital’s gift shop for everyday items like newspapers, crossword puzzles, notepads and even dental floss, they have experienced joy.

“They’re being poked and prodded and disrupted all the time. I just want to bring them a sense of comfort, and something so small means so much to them,” he said. “It can really brighten their day.”

It was ice cream that did the trick for his great-grandmother. Alvarado was at her side during her final weeks of life, and the experience meant so much to him that he decided to pursue nursing as a career.

He started working on the orthopedics floor of Nebraska Medicine as a CNA soon after that in 2014, and he hasn’t left the floor since.

“I really like the rehab process and teaching patients what they need to do to keep safe and healthy,” he said.

His training undoubtedly includes questions about the small things in life that bring them joy.

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I just want to bring them a sense of comfort, and something so small means so much to them.

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Joey Burt has been finding beauty in the moment as a nurse for 12 years.

EILEEN MESLAR, THE WORLD-HERALD

JOEY BURT RN, Clinical Nurse Manager, Maple Crest Health Center

Providing joy, laughter and friendship in final ‘chapter’ AMY LAMAR

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he way Joey Burt sees it, he is taking care of 150 grandparents. He wants to make their “last stop in life” as fulfilling as possible.

As a clinical nurse manager, he oversees the total care of 45 adults who have conditions ranging from Parkinson’s disease to dementia and age-related debilities. His main concern is that the residents receive the highest level of care, which to Burt means that almost anything falls within his job description. Wheelchair adjustments, emotional support and navigating family

dynamics are just a few examples.

“These families are trusting me with their parents’ lives,” he said. “It’s an honor to take care of them.”

Like all other nursing homes, Maple Crest Health Center wasn’t spared from COVID. In fact, there have been several outbreaks. Burt said he is proud of “what the staff did to keep people alive” and how much they have overcome.

What has helped is their ability to find beauty in the moment: A smile, a laugh, a memory, a story.

Although Burt originally had his

sights on being a doctor, he knew he was a natural caretaker and wanted to be at the bedside with his patients.

Still, his love for the nursing home initially surprised him since he thought for many years that a hospital is where the excitement lies.

“I just fell in love with this population,” he said. “Nursing homes get a bad rap because it’s no one’s preferred destination. But there is incredible joy, laughter and friendship to be had in this chapter of their lives.”

It sounds like it extends to the staff, too.

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These families are trusting me with their parents’ lives. It’s an honor to take care of them.

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Sunday, May 8, 2022 |

Melissa Gates has been a nurse for 12 years and the go-to resource for nurses who are new in their careers.

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD‌

MELISSA GATES BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CPEN Nebraska Medicine

When wanting to feel close is anything but selfish

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elissa Gates always has the same advice when she trains new nurses: Protect your license: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and it’s OK to say no.

Think outside of the box: Dance around like a little kid; hold a patient’s hand; and improvise when you don’t have the right equipment. Think beyond what you learned in school.

Take care of yourself: You can’t just go to work, go home, go to bed and then do it all over again. Make time for self-care.

Gates admits to ignoring her own advice until recently. As a certified

ER nurse, certified trauma nurse, certified pediatric emergency nurse, SANE nurse — and a single mother of a teenage son — overnight shifts don’t allow for much spare time.

As a result, she has missed activities, school events and time spent together.

On the hardest days when she has had to deal with patients struggling to stay alive, her passion has wavered. In fact, between COVID and the nursing shortage, she had considered a career as a doctor. She was even enrolled in pre-med classes. But then a patient changed her mind.

“She helped me realize that I wanted to be next to my patients. I like the

closeness that you feel, and you only can feel that as a nurse,” she said.

It turns out that Gates feels that same closeness when she trains nurses. She said she loves to see them learn and progress, often feeling like a proud “mama bear” when they succeed. Saving a life falls into that same category, while her son’s achievements are in a category all on their own.

“I’m grateful that I can teach my son how to have a good work ethic, and that you have to make sacrifices for the things that you want and need,” she said.

No wonder she gives such good advice.

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I’m grateful that I can teach my son how to have a good work ethic, and that you have to make sacrifices for the things that you want and need.

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AMY LAMAR

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Nurse Ann Gray wants her patients to always feel welcomed and loved.

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD‌

ANN GRAY Director of Nursing, Omaha Nursing & Rehab

‘You just have to love’

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nn Gray has been caring for others with her own special blend of humor and empathy for 34 years.

“Some of these people don’t have anyone else but us.”

That’s a reality at many long-term care facilities, not to mention that they don’t want to be there in the first place.

“Think of leaving your house and moving to one room with a roommate who you may not even like,” Gray said. “These people are our customers, but they don’t want to be our customers.”

Gray is known at Omaha Nursing & Rehab for her sense of humor. But she

is very serious when it comes to the residents. Her goals are to always make them feel welcome and loved, and to never let them die alone, she said.

Her second goal came into play frequently during the height of COVID. The residents weren’t able to see their loved ones. By the time they could see them, it was often too late.

“It was so hard for the families and staff. I can’t even tell you how sad it was,” she said.

It was during that time that Gray and two other staff members at the longterm care facility where she worked at the time formed a Kindness Crew.

They established “Be Kind Wednes-

day” and “it just grew,” she said. Pretty soon the staff — and even some of the residents — were wearing their Be Kind T-shirts every Wednesday.

“We solve problems,” Gray said matter-of-factly. “There is so much you can do to add to people’s lives.”

Sometimes it’s a different perspective. Before her mom died, Gray used to tell families who had lost a parent that it would be OK. Now she tells them that it will “eventually be OK” because she knows how it feels.

It must have been empathy that called Gray to nursing.

“I truly care,” she said. “You just have to love.”

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Some of these people don’t have anyone else but us.

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AMY LAMAR

NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2022 |

Charlette Hudson has been helping and serving others as a nurse for 30 years.

CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD

CHARLETTE HUDSON RN, Public Health Nurse, Douglas County Health Department

Counting every victory

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talled cars — and car accidents.

Blizzard conditions. Pre-washes and post-hot washes.

That was Charlette Hudson’s reality at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020. As one of the first nurses in Omaha to vaccinate first responders, Hudson spent weeks traveling across the city to give the shot to fire/rescue, sheriff and police personnel.

“When it comes to protecting and serving the community, they don’t have the choice to stay home,” she said. “But we anticipated and welcomed the opportunity to protect them from COVID.” At times, it was stressful and chaotic, but Charlette said it helped that she works with an “amazing” team of health care professionals and com-

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AMY LAMAR

When it comes to protecting and serving the community, they don’t have the choice to stay home.

munity partners. Many of them had families and issues going on at home at the time as well, including Hudson.

She was helping her family provide around-the-clock care for her mother, who had COVID. She eventually added middle schools and high schools to her vaccination travel list. She also administered the shot at Christ Community Church, which was the first community site to vaccinate teachers, health care workers

and the public.

With vaccinations less frequent but still part of her job today, Hudson still counts every single one as a “victory” since it’s one fewer person who runs the risk of contracting the disease, she said.

“Victories” continue to happen offthe-clock as well. One of them took place years ago at her church when a little girl started choking.

“I don’t know what made me look over at her,” Hudson said. “But I did the

Heimlich, and out came a butterscotch candy.”

She said she likes to use experiences like these as “teaching moments” for her two children, who are the reason why she went into nursing in the first place. She originally wanted to be a fashion designer, and was taking fashion merchandising courses when her job as a correspondence specialist was downsized.

She only had to look to her mother— who has recovered from COVID and just celebrated her 90th birthday last month — to figure out what she wanted to do next. Her mother had been a home health nurse and CNA for many years, and Hudson knew she wanted to “help and serve others” like she had.

She seems to have found her calling.

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Crystal Sainato has been spreading cheer as a nurse for eight years.

CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD

CRYSTAL SAINATO Float Pool Nurse Omaha VA Medical Center

Helping those who served AMY LAMAR

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rystal Sainato doesn’t always go home when her shift is over, especially if she has a chance to spread a little cheer.

“People aren’t there because they’re happy and feeling good,” she said. “I try to bring some sort of happiness to their darkest moments.”

For a lot of patients, it’s joking around to make them laugh — or even just crack a smile. One time it was a shave. Another time it was a massage — anything to make them feel better, she said.

For one patient in the ICU, it was lunch.

“We were talking about our favorite

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I try to bring some sort of happiness to their darkest moments.

foods and he really liked fried catfish,” Sainato said. “I found a place that had it on the menu and brought him lunch.

He couldn’t believe I did that, but I didn’t think it was a big deal. I told him, ‘You wanted it. I brought it.’”

Sometimes the “ask” isn’t quite as simple. One patient was very upset “calling out to God,” he told her, because he wanted Sainato to kill him.

The only thing she could do to calm

him down was to sit with him and hold his hand.

It was “very heart-wrenching,” she said, but she had vowed years before to never let a patient die alone. At the time, she was working at a skilled nursing facility and had a patient in hospice. The experience really made an impact on her, much like the one that convinced her to go into nursing in the first place.

After high school, Sainato served in the Nebraska Army National Guard, and was eventually deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. After a nine-month reprieve, she volunteered to go back to Iraq to do convoy security. She was trained by a health care specialist named Tricia Jameson, who was later killed in combat.

“She was the seed,” Sainato said.

For the past nine months, Sainato has worked nights at the Omaha VA Medical Center helping the other nurses with everything from routine patient care to administering medications.

She undoubtedly spreads a little cheer as well.

NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Sunday, May 8, 2022 |

Cara Sevier has been a nurse for three years, and is known by her patients for paying attention to what they say — and feel — when they’re in her care.

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD‌

CARA SEVIER LPN, Think Whole Person Healthcare

Her love is written all over her face

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ara Sevier’s patients can’t get much past her when it comes to how they’re feeling.

“I always remember the looks on their faces,” she said. “I know when they’re sick. I know if they just got bad news. And I always recognize that sparkle in their eyes when they’re feeling better.”

She also knows what “pure terror” looks like, which is exactly what her patient was feeling the day she came into the clinic with chest pains. It turned into a full-blown heart attack by the time Sevier performed an EKG,

and the patient had to be transferred to the hospital.

“I was really worried about her. Her closest family member lived three hours away, and she couldn’t understand what was happening or what to do,” she said.

“I was getting ready to go (her shift for the day had ended), but I felt in my heart that I was supposed to be there.”

So Sevier stayed — overnight. She comforted the patient before and after her open heart surgery, and she called her family with updates. To this day, the patient thinks of Sevier as an extended family member. Although the feelings are mutual, she admits that

they aren’t exclusive.

“My patients are all like my family,” she said.

COVID notwithstanding. Sevier was one of the first to volunteer to work in a COVID intensive care unit at an Arkansas hospital in March 2020. Despite black eyes, a bruised face and cracked skin from her face coverings, a six-month-long Personal Protective Equipment shortage didn’t phase her.

“I knew it was awful — you hear horror stories and they are true. But people needed me.”

She must have been able to tell by the looks on their faces.

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I was getting ready to go, but I felt in my heart that I was supposed to be there.

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AMY LAMAR

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Abigail Steiner has been a nurse for 12 years, and knows that wherever she is in the moment is where she is supposed to be — as long as she can help others.

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD

ABIGAIL STEINER BSN, RN, SANE-A Emergency Department Nurse, Methodist Health System

Nothing stops her from caring for others AMY LAMAR

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hree major life events. Devastating circumstances. Most people would be knocked down, but Abigail Steiner came out stronger.

“Life has proven to me that in a fight or flight situation I fight. I do my best work in stressful, chaotic situations.”

Situation No. 1: The 2007 Westroads Mall shooting. Steiner was shopping in the mall at the time, and happened to be halfway through nursing school. She had planned to go into critical care, but after “seeing a lot” from the top floor of Von Maur during the shooting, she switched her focus to psychiatric nursing.

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I do my best work in stressful, chaotic situations.

“It opened my eyes to the need of that specialty,” she said. “And it drove me to want to become a nurse who could lead with compassion, integrity and respect.”

Situation No. 2: Her dad’s passing in 2019. Steiner was a traveling nurse at the time, but returned to southwest Iowa to care for her dad when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

She ultimately became his hospice

nurse, and remained at his side until the very end. Although she said it was the hardest thing she has ever had to do, it gave her confidence that she could do more.

Situation No. 3: COVID-19, March 2020. Steiner had COVID soon after the pandemic began, but she went back to work in the ER later that summer because she wanted to be there for her patients and fellow nurses.

“It solidified my decision to go back into the ‘trenches,’” she said.

Although she has worked as a substance abuse/detox RN and an adult psychiatric/mental health RN, among other roles, in various types of settings over the past 10 years — and earned a nomination for the prestigious national DAISY Award last year — Steiner is nowhere near the end of her list of goals. In fact, she is looking forward to diving deeper into her SANE/forensic nursing certification specialty and obtaining her TNCC certification.

“I just have always been guided toward helping others,” she said. “It just feels right.”

NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Sunday, May 8, 2022 |

Sheila Lynch Sully has been “old-school loyal” to her patients and fellow nurses for 27 years.

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD

SHEILA LYNCH SULLY Staff RN, Nebraska Medicine

Caring for the ‘sickest of the sick’ in more ways than one

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s an ICU nurse, Sheila Lynch Sully takes care of the “sickest of the sick.” In fact, two patients had just died the week of this interview.

Many people only have medical TV shows as a reference to imagine the emergencies that come through the door each day.

“Thankfully, most people don’t see that world,” she said.

Of course, COVID has had a big impact on her job over the past two years.

With or without the pandemic, the job is both physically and emotionally draining, Lynch Sully said. But she loves it.

Besides, as an “older” nurse, she has

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AMY LAMAR

We’re connecting with people during one of the worst times of their lives.

an obligation to be a positive role model for the younger nurses, she added. It’s a team, and they support each other.

Just as important is the support that they provide to their patients — and sometimes it goes beyond just physical healing.

“We’re connecting with people during one of the worst times of their lives,” she said. “There is a lot of un-

certainty, and we help them through that process.”

Oftentimes when a patient is very sick, their family members have a hard time retaining and understanding what the prognosis and next steps are, Lynch Sully explained. That’s why she prefers to hear what the doctor says as the family is hearing it so she can explain it in a more “basic” way.

One family who must be especially appreciative of Lynch Sully’s “basic” explanations is the family of a patient she cares for privately outside of her job at Nebraska Medicine. He has quadriplegia and requires around-theclock care.

“I have been to more restaurants with him than my husband,” she joked about the patient, who she started working for as a way to earn extra money after nursing school.

Twenty-seven years later, her weekly visits have become a lifelong friendship with the patient and his family.

“I’m old-school loyal,” she said.

Obviously.

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Thank you, Ann Gray, and ALL of our nurses who put the care of our patients ahead of themselves.

We appreciate everything you do!

(402) 733-7200 omahanursingandrehab.com

4835 South 49th Street Omaha, NE 68117

Maple Crest Health Center is proud to have our team member Joey Burt, RN selected as a winner in the 2022 “Nurses, the Heart of Healthcare” program!

Congratulations to our Clinical Manager Joey Burt, RN on being selected. Joey’s dedication and devotion is a testament to the care and commitment you’ll receive at Maple Crest– either as a resident or as part of our amazing team of caregivers.

Health Center

Find Purpose...

Find Passion...

Find Possibilities.

Discover the Advantages of working at Maple Crest: 5-Star rated quality care! n Nursing tuition assistance and RN loan forgiveness n Flexible 8 & 12 hour shifts n New grads welcome n

Strong tradition of service n GREAT PAY in a rewarding work environment n Comprehensive benefits package n

Maple Crest Health Center 2824 N 66th Ave, Omaha, NE 68104

www.MapleCrest.net

Maple Crest is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not-for-profit provider of senior health care since 1930.

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Susan Tishendorf has been doing what she was “born to do” for 38 years.

CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD

SUSAN TISHENDORF Swoop Nurse, Bellevue Medical Center

‘Swoop, here I am’

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usan Tishendorf has never regretted becoming a nurse. In fact, it’s the only thing she has ever wanted to do. But the past two years have certainly tested her patience.

First, there was COVID. During the worst of it, she and her fellow nurses stuck it out for their patients — and each other, she said.

One nurse in particular came to mind when Tishendorf reflected on those early months. Her COVID patients were elderly, and one of them told her that he didn’t want any extra measures taken — he was giving up.

“We were talking with the family over Zoom, and you could just see that nurse breaking,” Tishendorf said. “We told her to take her mask off and to just breathe. I was so proud (of the team) — I saw Jesus all over it.”

Next came the nursing shortage.

Tishendorf said sees her role as an “encourager” supporting the team.

Perhaps that’s how she came up with the phrase, “Swoop, here I am,” which she likes to announce every time she walks into a different department during her shifts at Nebraska Medicine Bellevue Health Center.

Whether it’s starting an IV or a feed-

ing tube in the ER or admitting patients on the medical-surgical floor, she said she helps with whatever she can.

Her past experience must come in handy. She started her career in a community hospital where she did a “little bit of everything,” she said. After that, she was a labor and delivery nurse, and then a high-risk OB flight nurse.

These days, she feels drawn to the dying: “It’s an honor to be with the patient and the family,” she explained.

“It just feels right.”

She should always trust her gut.

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We told her to take her mask off and to just breathe. I was so proud (of the team) — I saw Jesus all over it.

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AMY LAMAR

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

GREENSHOOT MEDIA

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or nearly every indicator, the American Nursing Association says, America’s nurses are less healthy than the average American.

They’re more likely to be overweight, stressed out and tired. Workplace violence, injuries on the job and the 24/7 demands of the health care environment push many nurses to the breaking point.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that registered nurses have the fourthhighest rate of injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work when compared to all other occupations. Yes, even lumberjacks.

To improve the health of America’s 4 million registered nurses, the ANA launched the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation movement five years ago. Its mission is to connect and engage nurses and orga-

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nizations to help nurses get more exercise, rest, nutrition, a better quality of life and be more safe on the job. It’s a free program, open to everyone in the industry. There are more than 230,000 participants and more than 580 partner organizations.

It was particularly vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, which tried nurses’ health like never before.

“We encourage employers, professional associations and schools of nursing to share and amplify the vital HNHN resources that help nurses combat burnout, manage stress and overcome trauma,” ANA President Ernest J. Grant, RN, FAAN,

said. “Together, we can ensure our nursing workforce is at its peak health and wellness.”

One of the things the program does is to match nurses with mental health resources, offering things like a free subscription to Headspace PLUS and other apps to improve the mental health and resilience of nurses across the country. It also organizes challenges for nurses to participate in for

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healthy eating, exercise and more.

“Nurses’ physical and mental well-being have never been more important — to the profession and to every one of us who counts on nurses for health care and leadership,” said Kate Judge, executive director of the American Nurses Foundation.

Matthew S. Howard is a nurse who participates in the HNHN challenge. He said he walks the dog and connects with family and friends regularly, even virtually, to improve his well-being.

“A healthy mental lifestyle is so important to me right now,” he said.

Sonya L. Clayton, another participant, said she carves out quiet time to help her mental health.

“At night, I try to have at least 30 minutes of quiet time reading or doing something calming,” she said. “I also talk to my prayer partner every day, and that connection is so reassuring.”

A Healthy Work

Environment ‘Nurses’ physical and mental well-being have never been more important’

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Come grow with the very best.

Join the region’s only team dedicated exclusively to kids. At Children’s

Hospital & Medical Center, our nurses are improving the lives of children.

From bedside to critical care to home health, our nurses are supported and empowered to become their very best. Children’s offers People-first culture, competitive pay and benefits, ongoing education and opportunities for advancement.

Visit ChildrensOmaha.org/Career to learn more about how Children’s can become the very best for your career today.

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

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BALA

SOLE

MATES 4 shoe brands earning 5 stars from nurses

Benjamin also tested and rated BALA Twelves. This shoe is designed by nurses and is crafted around female foot morphology. The result is a perfectly fitting nurse shoe without compromises.

“I liked the snug fit and how comfortable they are. They are actually liquidresistant,” said Benjamin, who gave the shoes a 5 in every category.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BALA FOOTWEAR

BROOKS

Wali Khan, BSN, RN, is an ICU/ER nurse with 10 years of experience. He wore the Brooks Ghost 12 running shoes three times before rating them.

Although he usually wears Nike Free Runs, Khan said his feet “did not hurt after an intense movement. The fit of the shoe was true to size and did not require a ‘break-in’ period. I also ran several miles in the shoes to test comfort and durability and they proved to be great shoes.”

Khan rated the shoes a 5 for quality, comfort, foot/ ankle support and durability. For cost ($110), nonslip, style/fashion and ability to clean, he assigned them a 4. The other two categories were given an N/A.

NANCY CLANTON

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

N

urse “uniforms” have changed dramatically over the decades — good riddance to white tights — and that includes the shoes.

Today’s nurse can express their individuality while protecting themselves from heel pain, plantar fasciitis and other ailments. Having so many choices, however, can make it difficult to pick a pair that keeps up with your pace while protecting your feet.

Each year, Nurse.org asks its online community of more than 133,000 members for shoe recommendations, then has actual health care providers wear and rate the more popular ones.

Four brands rated a five — the highest score — this year. Here’s what the testers had to say about them.

ASICS

Alice Benjamin, MSN, BSN, RN, is a critical care nurse and host of the Ask Nurse Alice podcast. She wore the Asics Novablast SPS for three shifts.

“I usually wear Nikes or some type of running shoe because they are comfy and don’t hurt when I am running all day,” said Benjamin, who usually works shifts of 12 or more hours.

Of the 10 categories in which the

shoes were rated — quality, cost, comfort, water resistant, nonslip, style/fashion, foot/ankle support, durability and ability to clean — Benjamin gave AMAZON.COM the Asics a 5 in PRODUCT eight of them.

PHOTOS For water resistance and foot/ankle support, she rated the shoes a 4.

NIKE

Atlanta’s Everett Moss II, BSN, RN, is a critical care/ vascular access nurse with five years of experience. He wore the Nike Vapormax at work for a full shift.

Moss rated the Vapormax a 5 for quality, comfort and style/fashion, saying they are “very light and comfortable.” However, Moss also prefers “shoes that are more fluid-resistant,” and rated these only a 2 in that category.

You can check out the other seven shoes at Nurse.org.

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NURSES: THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Thank You, Nurses Three small words that speak to our enormous gratitude for their service and sacrifices in these challenging times. Nurses are our health care heroes, woven into the fabric of our community and serving on the front lines.

AARP Nebraska salutes the ten extraordinary nurses in the Omaha community named as Nurses: The Heart of Health Care honorees.

Join us in thanking our nurses in Omaha, visit aarp.org/ne.

/aarpne @aarpne