Noozhawk is proud to recognize National Nurses Month with our annual Salute to Nurses. May is a month dedicated to honoring the invaluable contributions of our local nurses in healthcare and our community.
It serves as a time to recognize and appreciate the tireless efforts, compassion, and dedication of nurses who play a crucial role in patient care, health promotion, and disease prevention.
From bedside caregivers to leaders in healthcare innovation, nurses embody resilience, empathy, and expertise, making National Nurses Month a time to express gratitude and admiration for their unwavering commitment to healing and comfort.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Mary Sullivan, Director, Associate Degree in Nursing program at SBCC School of Nursing, to learn more about her journey and experience in the nursing industry.
Question: What does National Nursing Month mean to you?
Answer: It is a special time for acknowledging all the individuals who work tirelessly to care for others. Nurses truly are heroes; the world saw this throughout the pandemic.
Q: What types of qualities and interests do you feel inspire a person to pursue a health care profession?
A: Healthcare is one of the most challenging professions. You need to be empathetic, caring, and selfless, while being mentally tough. Some of our students have shared that their interest in Nursing stemmed from witnessing a family member or friend go through health issues.
Q: How do you think the nursing profession has evolved over the years, especially in light of recent global health challenges?
A: Nursing is finally earning the respect that it has always deserved! If you ask any nurse, they will most likely tell you that it’s a tough profession but they could not see themselves doing anything else.
Q: Can you highlight a particularly memorable or rewarding experience you’ve had as a healthcare provider?
A: I worked at a hospital in Arizona for many years. In 2010 they presented me with the Daisy Award (a national & international recognition award for nurses) for my work with families welcoming new babies with Down Syndrome into the world. My 9th child was born with Down Syndrome and I realized through my own experience that we needed to do a better job supporting families with this unique situation.
Therefore, I created a support packet with all the ABCs of what to do “now that this special child is in your life.” I met with the parents and families as soon as the baby was born and then did follow-up check-ins for additional support and guidance.
Q: In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges facing nurses today, and how do you think they can be addressed?
A: I feel that the biggest challenges facing nurses today are the long hours, working short-staffed and not being mindful of self-care.
Also, we start our new graduates on the exhausting night shift. Perhaps going back to offering a rotating schedule for those who cannot tolerate the night shift may help. When I was a new graduate nurse in Massachusetts, I was able to work a weekend program called “WIP” (Weekend Incentive Program).
This worked well for my family since I could be a “stay home” mom Monday-Friday and not have to put my children in daycare, then my husband took over on the weekends. I don’t believe that hospitals offer those options anymore but I wish they would.
Q: How do you prioritize self-care and well-being while working in a demanding healthcare profession?
A: Oh my goodness, this is an area still under construction. When I moved to California, I was working 7 days/week until the father of my 9 children passed away unexpectedly at the age of 57, five years ago now.
I worked at SBCC teaching Nursing Monday through Friday, then worked 2 (12hr) night shifts Fri/Sat at Cottage Hospital. It was beyond rough. When Marty passed away, I knew that my priority was my children’s well-being and getting them through this devastating event, so I took a leave from bedside nursing.
Since his passing, I have taken up golf and enjoy playing pickleball but I do not do either nearly enough.
Q: Can you discuss the importance of ongoing education and professional development for nurses?
A: Workforce shortages are affecting every hospital nationwide. To address the nursing shortage, we need more nurse educators, in order to increase enrollment in our nursing schools.
To be an educator requires a master’s degree in nursing. We must support and encourage nurses to continue to advance their degrees and become leaders and educators in our profession.
Professional development is strongly encouraged for SBCC faculty. We all attend conferences every year in order to keep up with the innovative resources available to both faculty and students.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering a career in nursing?
A: I would be honest and say that nursing is not for everyone. Someone considering this career should spend time in different settings and watch what nurses do there.
Also, they should interview many nurses in order to hear all sides of what it is like to be a nurse so they can decide if it’s something that they could see themselves doing.
Q How do you see technology impacting the nursing profession in the coming years?
A: Unfortunately, some technology has taken nurses away from patient care. Many nurses feel the daunting tasks of patient charting which can minimize the time they spend with their patients. With the new AI technology, maybe in the near future we will see nurses being able to dictate their patients’ assessments without needing to sit at a computer.
Q: Lastly, what message would you like to convey to the public during National Nursing Month?
A: I’d like our community to know how important education is to the field of nursing, and that we’re fortunate to have the Santa Barbara City College School of Nursing, one of the top nursing schools in the country.
Also, I have had people say “Thank you for your service” when they find out I am a nurse, (just like we do for our military). I think that this is a nice way to honor nurses. Or even a simple “thank you for being a nurse” would be so nice to hear.
Click here to learn more about SBCC’s School of Nursing.