Health Department recognizes achievements of local nurses

The Logan County Health Department and Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) are recognizing public health nurses in Oklahoma for their caring, skill and hard work during National Nurses Week, May 6-12.

The week is used to focus attention on the diverse ways America’s 3.1 million registered nurses work to save lives and to improve the health of millions of individuals. There are approximately 30,000 RNs and 12,000 LPNs working in nursing in Oklahoma.

“Public health nurses help ‘Shape Our Future’ by providing health department services such as child and adult immunizations, preventive health screenings, nutrition education, child guidance services, disease and injury prevention, services to mothers and babies, emergency preparedness and school health education,” said Jay Smith, administrative director for the Logan County Health Department.

This year, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has selected “Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring ” as the theme for the 2012 recognition celebration. As part of this year’s observance, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Terry Cline and OSDH Chief of Nursing Diana Schaeffer recognize Oklahoma’s nurses for their role in the health delivery system in Oklahoma. “Regardless of the nursing specialty they chose, we want to thank all nurses for their contributions to the health care system,” said Schaeffer. “We encourage others to consider the nursing profession as a career choice. Nursing is consistently rated the most trusted profession.”

Annually, National Nurses Week begins on May 6, marked as RN Recognition Day, and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession. The Logan County Health Department encourages employers in Logan County to also use National Nurses Week as an opportunity to recognize their nurse employees through recognition programs and events.

“We would like the public to join us as we pay tribute to our nurses for a job well done,” said Smith. Public health nurses working at the Logan County Health Department include the following:

Aleen Ball, Angie Burris, Patti Chamberlain, Gracie Channel, Lawanna Faulkenberry, Helen Joyner, Jill Koenig, Stacey Mauch, Deb Mayo, Gayle Roberts, Pam Scarberry, Rita Seal, Kelly Varner