Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, and Mary Breckinridge are among some of the most famous nurses in U.S. history.
During the month of May, people across the country honor these pioneers and all nurses who devote their lives to helping others. Groups like the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Red Cross lead the way to help mark National Nurses Month.
MCM spoke with Joan Vincent, Vice-President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center. The West Virginia native began her nursing career 56 years ago. She had wanted to go into nursing since she was in ninth grade.
“I did an occupational project on nursing, and I decided right then, that’s what I wanted to do. That never left me. I worked as a candy striper (hospital volunteer) when I was in high school. I looked for a college where I could earn a nursing degree,” Vincent told MCM.
Nurses Impact On Healthcare
She said nurses play a pivotal role in the medical profession.
“They are the heart and soul of health care. They are smart, creative, and they are the largest health care profession. I want people to know nurses advocate for them, and for our patients. Nurses advance health equity. They work in a variety of settings and provide emotional support to the community,” Vincent said.
A Gallup poll conducted last January shows three out of four Americans consider nurses highly honest and ethical. The poll ranked nurses the most trusted profession of 23 careers it examined.
“I think the fact we’re the most trusted profession is a really important thing because it tells the community that we are really here for them when they come to the hospital or when they go home. Nurses are intelligent and skilled, and they really care about what happens to the public and to the community. They’re here to serve, and I think that is really important,” Vincent said.
However, a nurse’s job is also very challenging. Vincent said the pandemic took a toll on the nursing profession.
“Everyone has to know the pandemic was bad. It was really traumatic, and many nurses have experienced anxiety and depression. There was a lot of burnout, and I think after the pandemic, the emotional toll on nurses was significant. We had so many patients who died during that period of time. We found out there wasn’t enough support emotionally for the nurses. Many nurses left the profession after the pandemic. So there was a lot of turnover during that time. We are just now rebounding in terms of staffing. We started recovering at the start of 2024. We’re seeing nurses who are coming into the profession as they did before,” Vincent said.
Changes In the Nursing Field
The nursing field has changed a lot since Vincent first began her career. She said the education and training have improved dramatically. Changes in technology also have played a big role.
“We were charting on paper for a long time, and now of course, all of that is electronic. The other big change is the diversity of nurses. Early on, the field was made up of mostly white women. Now we see people from different countries, and we also see more men in nursing. That is a huge change,” Vincent explained.
Nurses do not just work in hospitals. There are many branches of nursing today. Nurses can work in informatics which handles documentation systems and other computer work. Other nurses can work in schools, home health, or as a nurse practitioner. The nursing field can be highly specialized today. Some nurses choose to further their education and earn their PhD. Those nurses often pursue teaching in nursing schools.
Makeup Of Nurses
Vincent said if someone aspires to become a nurse, they should want to care for people.
“I think emotional intelligence is really important. I think it is especially important for nurses who are caring for patients in the hospital. Nurses need to build relationships with patients and families especially as patients leave the hospital. I think understanding the diversity of our patients and how to care for a huge diverse population also is important because that is what we have in Montgomery County,” Vincent said.
Honored With A Statue
A spokesperson with Adventist HealthCare tells MCM Vincent is beloved by her staff. She exudes extraordinary passion for nursing, and she shares her love for her career with her colleagues and patients. She is so well respected; an individual donated a statue in Vincent’s honor. That statue sits in Shady Grove Medical Center’s Healing Garden.
