More Than a Profession: A Reflection on Nursing, Trust, and Calling

May is a sacred month in more ways than one.

It is Mental Health Awareness Month…

and it is also National Nurses Month.

Two things that, in my life and in my calling, are deeply connected.

Because to be a nurse…

is to care for the whole person, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and even environmentally.

It’s all connected.

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24 Years of Trust, And the Weight That Comes With It

For the past 24 consecutive years, nursing has been ranked as the #1 most trusted profession in the United States, with the majority of Americans rating nurses as having high or very high honesty and ethical standards (Gallup, 2024).

Let that sit for a moment…

Not just respected.

Not just needed.

Trusted.

That level of trust is not given lightly.

It is earned, through presence, sacrifice, integrity, and consistency.

And for those of us who wear this title…

We feel the weight of it.

We carry the responsibility of it.

And we honor the calling behind it.

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May 2009– The Oath That Changed Everything

I remember when I took my oath as a nurse in May of 2009.

At the time, I understood it as a milestone.

An achievement.

A moment I had worked hard for.

But what I didn’t fully understand then…

…was how deeply that oath would shape my life.

It wasn’t just words.

It was a commitment:

* To advocate

* To protect

* To lead

* To serve

* To care beyond what is seen

That oath became my compass.

And it has guided my practice, every step of the way.

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From CNA to Nurse Leader: The Journey That Built Me

My journey didn’t start in 2009.

It started in 2005 as a CNA…

Learning the foundation of care; hands-on, up close, deeply human.

From there:

* Nursing student

* LPN

* RN

* And now, MSN-prepared Registered Nurse, specialized in Leadership & Administration

But titles alone don’t tell the story.

Because along the way, I have served in spaces that stretched me, shaped me, and strengthened me:

* Dialysis

* Hospice

* Certified Mobile Research

* Geriatric Care

* Home Health

* Quality Management

* Clinical Nurse Management

* Facility Administration

* Holistic Nurse Education

* CEO & Wellness Advocate

…and so many more experiences that cannot be captured on paper alone.

Through every role, every shift, every patient, every family…

I’ve gained something deeper than experience.

I’ve gained understanding.

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The Truth About Nursing

I understand, across every level, what goes into the lifestyle of a nurse.

The long hours.

The emotional weight.

The unseen sacrifices.

The decisions that follow you home.

The moments that stay with you forever.

And that’s why I say this with my whole heart:

Being a nurse is not just a job.

It is a calling.

It’s not something you clock in and out of…

It’s something you carry.

It’s something you are.

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Mental Health & Nursing: A Necessary Conversation

As we honor nurses this month, we must also acknowledge something real:

Nurses are caregivers…

but we also need care.

We are strong…

but we also feel.

We show up for others…

but we must also learn to show up for ourselves.

Mental health matters in nursing.

Balance matters.

Healing matters.

Because you cannot pour from a place that is constantly depleted.

And that is why holistic wellness,

mind, body, spirit, and environment,

is not optional.

It is essential.

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To Every Nurse, Student, and Future Nurse…

To the nurses walking hospital halls…

To the ones in clinics, homes, communities…

To the students studying, sacrificing, and pushing through…

To the future nurses being called into this work…

I see you.

I honor you.

And I celebrate you.

Happy Nurses Week.

Happy Nurses Month.

Thank you for answering the call.

Thank you for carrying the trust.

Thank you for being who you are.

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A Final Reflection

As I reflect on my journey…

From CNA… to nurse… to leader… to educator… to CEO…

I don’t just see a career.

I see purpose.

I see obedience.

I see growth.

And most importantly…

I see a calling that continues to unfold.

Because nursing didn’t just shape what I do…

It shaped who I am.

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Reference

Gallup. (2024). Honesty and ethics ratings of professions. https://news.gallup.com/poll/1654/honesty-ethics-professions.aspx