National Nurses Week is May 6 to May 12, which is the birth date of Florence Nightingale. The week honors the dedication of registered nurses in the United States and is promoted by the American Nurses Association. It was first recognized by President Richard Nixon in 1974. Each year since 2000, a theme has been given for every week. In 2020, the theme is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead”

Recognizing nurses on the frontline of a pandemic

It is never a bad time to show nurses and medical personnel how much you appreciate them. 

This year the American Nurses Association has expanded National Nurses Week, typically held from May 6 to May 12 to a National Nurses Month in May. It’s coming at a time when nurses and medical professionals are more necessary than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic has killed thousands and more become infected daily. 

Megan Ruopp, is an advanced registered nurse practitioner at McFarland Clinic in Marshalltown, she and her colleagues are on the front lines dealing with COVID-19 patients and working to fight the virus. 

“There’s been a push nationally to expand our roles in order to help with the pandemic,” Roupp said. “There’s a greater need for providers and nursing care. We are able to do a lot more compared to what we did before.”

She works at the respiratory clinic at McFarland, the primary stop for patients suffering from COVID-19. 

A regular day for Roupp involves calling patients to hold virtual visits.

“We do a quick assessment over the phone and determine if they need to be seen in the clinic,” she said. “Then most of the day recently has been seeing patients who have the symptoms of COVID or have tested positive for COVID.” 

Prior to the pandemic Roupp’s days were a bit different, where she would know which patients she’d be seeing and they weren’t as acutely ill as they are today. 

The pandemic has also brought along with it community support for Roupp and other medical professionals. 

“We’ve seen the community drop off countless amounts of masks that we’re able to use and provide to other patients that do not have them,” Roupp said. 

People have built and given nurses at McFarland face shields and other personal protective equipment. 

“The biggest changes that have gone from the pandemic is that we’ve had to broaden our roles here at the clinic to better care for the community,” Ruopp said. “We’ve become very versatile in our roles not just as a nurse, but as an educator for the patients.” 

There’s more anxiety in communities as a whole during the pandemic and nurses and medical professionals are working hard to inform patients and the public about the virus. 

Roupp is not working alone, she has a team of colleagues working with her and all of them are working hard to keep the pandemic at bay. 

Going home during the pandemic is difficult for medical staff now as well because of how communicable COVID-19 can be. 

“There’s nobody that hasn’t felt stressed because of the pandemic,” Roupp said. “The worry, am I going to bring something home to my family. The day is different. My kids know that when I get home, before they run up and hug me the stop and ask ‘were you at the sick clinic today mommy?'”

She needs to shower and change her clothes before she can hug her children. 

“It brings it home that this has changed a lot of things,” Roupp said. “I’m grateful that I can fill a role in this pandemic. That makes you proud through the training and the school that I’m able to give back.”

She wants people to remember to show empathy to others as COVID-19 continues to ravage Iowa and the nation. 

“It’s important that we all know everybody’s experience during this pandemic has been unique,” Roupp said. “Be aware that other people may not be experiencing the same emotions and trials as other people are.” 

Nurse remembers self-care while caring for others

During this time of a COVID-19 pandemic, medical professionals are putting themselves on the front lines, doing their best to ensure the coronavirus does not spread and saving the lives of those infected.

One professional is Heidi Rockwell of Grinnell — registered nurse (RN), sexual assault nurse examiner and trauma program supervisor at UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown.

Rockwell graduated in 2003 as a RN and is close to receiving her bachelor’s of science in nursing degree from St. Luke’s College in Sioux City.

“I have been an RN for 17 years and prior to that I worked as a LPN and a CNA,” she said. “I have been involved in healthcare in some fashion for 33 years.”

During the last five of those years, Rockwell has been employed at UnityPoint in Marshalltown. Prior to that, she did a lot more traveling.

“I worked as a travel nurse for many years across the country in large teaching facilities, as well as smaller hospitals,” she said.

A travel nurse takes assignments at healthcare facilities which have short-term staffing needs. The job can take a travel nurse to various locations in the country.

It is just another aspect of a career that requires monitoring patients, performing physical exams, educating and counseling patients, dressing wounds, administering medications and much more.

“Nursing can be hard, draining and rewarding all at the same time,” Rockwell said. “It also offers so many different avenues and, when you need a change, there are a plethora of options at hand.”

Taking care of people is something Rockwell has always wanted to do.

“It is rewarding to know that you were there for someone in what may be the worse day of their life,” she said.

Her traveling and desire to help people also extended to a mission trip to Tegucigalpa – the capital of Honduras. It was there Rockwell gained a vivid memory of a patient.

“He was tall and thin, looked very young for his age and was of sound mind,” she said. “I later found out he was 106. His only request was something to make his bones strong. I gave him some vitamins and you might have thought he had won the lottery, he was so grateful. Little did he know that he was an inspiration to me. We had our picture taken together, and he kept his eyes closed. You get to do that if you are 106 years old.”

It was not easy for Rockwell to pick out just one favorite memory. After 33 years, she said she could easily fill a book with memories and experiences.

Each day on the job provides Rockwell with something new to learn and remember, and she makes an effort to remember the importance of self-care.

“I constantly need to remind myself to fill my own cup because I can’t pour from an empty cup,” she said.