As we celebrate National Nurses Week (May 6–12), I’m filled with deep pride and gratitude for the nurses who care for our community every day.

Nursing has always been the backbone of health care. It’s built on long days, sleepless nights, and countless hours on foot, often in moments when patients and families are facing some of the most difficult experiences of their lives. While nursing can be incredibly rewarding, it is also demanding, and it requires both resilience and heart. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to support and invest in the well-being of those who care for others.

Nurses are often a source of comfort and calm in moments of uncertainty, whether they are celebrating improved health, supporting recovery, or walking alongside patients and families during life’s most challenging times. Being entrusted with people’s lives is both an honor and a responsibility, one that nurses meet with skill, compassion, and empathy. From offering reassurance during a difficult diagnosis to managing complex care at the bedside or using advanced technology to support healing, nurses consistently show up with professionalism and humanity every single day.

In my tenure as a nurse, I’ve seen the profession change in remarkable ways. Technology has transformed how we deliver care, expanding access and improving outcomes across hospitals, outpatient settings, senior communities, clinics, and even in patients’ homes. At the same time, the role of the nurse has grown more complex, the pace more intense, and the challenges more visible. In recent years especially, health care workers have faced added pressures, including moments of hostility and violence that no one should ever experience while simply doing their job.

And yet, nurses continue to step up.

They innovate. They adapt. They advocate for their patients and for one another. The nurses I work alongside every day remind me why I chose this calling. Staying connected to them — being on the units, at the bedside, listening and learning — is what keeps me grounded and grateful.

One thing I know for certain is that appreciation matters. A simple thank you, a kind word, or a moment of recognition can make a real difference during a demanding day. I invite our community to join me in recognizing and thanking the nurses who show up with courage, compassion, and commitment. They help to keep our communities safer and healthier every day.

To our nurses: thank you for your grace, your humility, and your passion. No matter your role or credentials, the work you do matters, and the difference you make is felt far beyond the walls of our health care facilities.

Teresa Conyers
Chief Nursing Officer, and Vice President, Patient Care Services
UPMC North Central Pa.