Photo: WBZ NewsRadio Archive
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Some people say a simple ‘thank you’ goes a long way when showing appreciation to nurses, especially during National Nurses Week.
U.S. lawmakers established this honorary week back in 1998 to celebrate the hardworking professionals and drive awareness of their sacrifices during hard times.
“Nurses don’t get enough credit,” one Bostonian told WBZ NewsRadio. “They need to get more credit.”
In a 2020 survey conducted by the American Nurses Association, 62% of U.S. nurses reported symptoms of burnout.
“I give nurses more credit than the doctors,” another Bostonian said. “They take good care of people, they’re overworked underpaid. They’re expected to come in and work all these crazy shifts.”
The health care industry has been grappling with an ongoing nursing shortage crisis, which was further exasperated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the pandemic, without them, we’d be in trouble,” one local resident said.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) estimated that nearly 100,000 Registered Nurses quit in 2021 due to burnout. Additionally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce projects that nearly 193,000 RN jobs will need to be filled per year until 2032, with only about 177,400 nurses to enter the workforce per year.
“Everybody just needs that thank you at the end of the day, and it plays a big part,” another resident said.
National Nurses Week is on May 6 through May 25.
WBZ NewsRadio's Chris Fama (@CFamaWBZ) reports.