Nurses, med tech trusted to care

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  National Nurse and Medical Technician Week is traditionally celebrated from May 6-12, ending on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, a celebrated English nurse and pioneer of the nursing profession.

For members of team Yokota, the week was celebrated from May 16-20, starting with an appreciation breakfast followed by free massages for nurses and medical technicians, and ending with a Barbecue at the end of the week.

This year's theme of "Nurses Trusted to Care," celebrates the role and contributions that nurses and medical technicians provide to patients each and every day.

"As a nurse, we have been entrusted to care for a patient physically, mentally, even socially," said Capt Lorraine Rivera, 374 Medical Operations Squadron clinical nurse. "For us, we try to be like Florence Nightingale; she was the mother of all nurses and a pioneer for our career field."

Nightingale, also known as "The Lady with the Lamp" for her tendency to make rounds at night to aid patients, laid the foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of her nursing school at St Thomas' Hospital in London in 1860.

"I think if we could all emulate Nightingale, follow her example and do what she taught us, we can all be great nurses," said Captain Rivera.

Working side-by-side with nurse, medical technicians follow the same teachings to take care of patients.

For Airman 1st Class Cassandra Bayerl, 374th MDOS medical technician, her job is a way for her to reach out to others.

"It's about being able to help people that I really love, it makes you feel good when you help someone," said Airman Bayerl. "Everyone will be sick at one point and I thought the best way to help people was through a medical career."

There are more than 3 million registered nurses in the United States working in almost every area of a hospital; they can be found in pediatric clinics, family care clinics and even urgent care centers.

"It's different. You can work anywhere," said Captain Rivera. "We get to learn a lot. Nursing is a very colorful and diverse profession, because you have nurses that do patient care, education and nurses that do management, and over-the-phone consultations. I think we are very well rounded people."