Messages of thanks are pouring in for the team at Milton Keynes Hospital on International Nurses Day.
International Nurses Day is observed worldwide on May 12th every year, on the day that Florence Nightingale was born, to commemorate all nurses and the contribution that they make to society.
This contribution has been especially valuable in the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And as the nation begins to emerge from lockdown, with over half of the population vaccinated, nurses are being publicly thanked for their service.
Professor Joe Harrison, who is the Chief Executive of Milton Keynes University Hospital, has taken to social media to share his appreciation.
He said: "Thank you to every nurse who gives so much of themselves, their time, their love to a job that is often difficult beyond words. May we never underestimate what you do & may you always remember how valued & vital you are. Thank you will never be enough."
As part of celebrations at our local hospital, the different wards, centres and teams have each created a poster that details what being a nurse means to them.
One poster, created by Ward 7, reads: "When I think about all the patients and their loved ones I have worked with over the years, I know most of them don't remember me, nor I them, but I do know that I gave a little piece of myself to each of them and they to me, and these threads make up the tapestry that is my nursing career."
These posters will be judged by a team, including Nicky Burns-Muir who is the Chief Nurse.
The centre:mk and Marks and Spencer has donated prizes to the winners of the poster competition.
Today is #InternationalNursesDay! We’re delighted to be supporting the celebrations @MKHospital –to thank our nursing staff and acknowledge how awesome they are! Thanks also to @marksandspencer @centremk, who donated gifts to support a special poster competition running today 💚 pic.twitter.com/IigB70jCRR
— Milton Keynes Hospital Charity (@MKHCharity) May 12, 2021
Local nurses have also been taking to social media today to share what they love about their jobs. Mandy Park, who is the Designated Safeguarding Nurse for Children within the BLMK CCG, said: "I love the diversity that nursing brings to me. 2021 has seen my second redeployment back in to uniform where I have been vaccinating in Bedford and Milton Keynes.
"Nursing is a team effort which divides the tasks and multiplies the successes."
