A Special Thank You to Our Nurses on National Nurses Day

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Today is Nurses Day and the start of National Nurses Week. This year’s theme for Nurses Week selected by the American Nurses Enterprise is the “The Power of Nurses,” and it is a fitting theme not just for the nurses who work at OPWDD, but also for the ones who serve all of us throughout the entire healthcare system.

At OPWDD, we directly employ more than 1,000 nurses statewide, including Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Infection Control Nurses, Community Mental Health Nurses, Nurse Administrators, and temporary and part-time nursing staff. Many more work for the people who rely on our service system by serving as employees of our nonprofit providers and private healthcare practices. Even more nurses serve all of us in the different community and hospital-based settings we encounter them in. The truth is that nurses power our service system and the entire healthcare landscape, guiding and supporting us as we heal, safeguarding our rights, advocating for our best interests, and educating and empowering us to stay healthy and achieve maximum wellness. They are a lifeline for people with developmental disabilities and each one of us.

If you see nurse colleagues of yours today or encounter a nurse in your community, please take a moment to thank them for their compassion and the difference they make in our lives. To all our nurses inside and outside our system, we are so grateful for all you do. Thank you.

Sincerely,
 

Willow Baer
Acting Commissioner