Celebrating Our Nurses for World Health Day

Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World Health Day. Like the WHO, Recovery Unplugged’s goal is to provide everyone we can with the care they need to live happy and healthy lives. With World Health Day 2020 just around the corner, Recovery Unplugged wanted to join the celebration. 

Each April 7th marks the anniversary of the foundation of the World Health Organization in 1948 with World Health Day. Since then, the WHO has grown within the United Nations System into the leading international authority on health. The WHO works closely with a number of organizations, and encourages them to implement evidence-based health programs and practices. 

Every year, the WHO chooses a specific theme or topic related to health and healthcare to celebrate World Health Day. This year, it was decided that the WHO would honor nurses and midwives for the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. 

The Purpose Behind World Health Day 

Because World Health Day is the anniversary of the foundation of the WHO, this date is significant for the organization. On top of celebrating the organization, the WHO highlights global health priorities on this day. 

World Health Day sets the theme for the entire year, with the WHO staging media campaigns focused on this theme. The culmination of these campaigns occurs on World Health Day, with the majority of activism and advocacy occurring on April 7th. 

The purpose of this holiday is simple yet increasingly profound. The WHO wants to give people struggling with financial hardships access to the healthcare that they deserve. As such, the WHO advocates for the concept of Health for All through this holiday. 

The International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife

Nurses and midwives have a profound impact on our everyday lives and overall quality of life. As a result, the World Health Assembly came together and christened 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. 

This year, one of the WHO’s goals is to highlight and focus on how vital nurses and midwives are in the provision of healthcare. The organization also hopes to cause a global wave of appreciation for nurses and midwives for all they do in their local communities. 

One groundbreaking event this World Health Day will be the launch of the State of the World’s Nursing Report 2020. In doing so, the WHO actively works towards raising the profiles of both nurses and midwives in the healthcare workforce. 

The WHO hopes that the investment into such important caregivers will further their ultimate cause. By supporting and investing into nursing and midwifery education, the organization hopes to take steps towards universal health coverage. 

Appreciating Our Nurses at Recovery Unplugged

In celebration of World Health Day, we decided to interview one of our own Licensed Nurse Practitioners (LPN), Valentina Ospina. As our Nursing Manager, Valentina interacts with almost every client that comes through our Fort Lauderdale and Lake Worth facilities. 

When asked about World Health Day, Valentina was unaware of the fact that it was the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. In my eyes, this only furthers the reality that we don’t speak enough about the nursing profession.

As an LPN in the addiction care field, Valentina has a very unique view of her field.

“Usually nurses see people who are getting sick,” she told me during our interview. “I get to see people getting well.”

Over the course of her time working at Recovery Unplugged, Valentina has been able to build relationships with her patients. Although nursing is by no means easy, Valentina shared that she can’t help but admire those that she’s helped treat. Watching clients hit rock bottom and come back is a gift in itself. 

In her role as Recovery Unplugged’s Nursing Manager, Valentina works tirelessly to help all of the clients that come through our programs. Even finding the time to speak with me was a process that involved multiple emails and changes in schedule. 

Valentina recognizes the impact that her tremendous caseload has had on her ability to connect with clients. As things have gotten bigger and busier, it’s been harder for her to create the same bonds with clients. 

More than anything, Valentina wants to focus more on the needs of clients. For her, smaller caseloads would allow her to better care for her patients and their needs. 

Celebrating Nurses Every Day 

By highlighting the work that nurses like Valentina do this World Health Day, we can help encourage change in the field. In focusing more on the ways in which we can improve comprehensive and collaborative care, we can help nurses in all areas of work and care. Shedding light on all of their hard work can also bolster their spirits while recognizing how much they impact all fields, especially addiction and treatment. 

We’re proud of all the hard work that our nurses do at Recovery Unplugged. We also recognize that steps still need to be taken to treat nurses everywhere the way that they deserve. 

In Valentina’s words, “Nursing is more comprehensive than just care– it’s touching different areas of life.”