Thank a Health Care Worker During National Nurses and Hospital Week 

Two years ago, we remember announcing the delay of in-person celebrations of National Nurses Week and Hospital Week at our HSHS Illinois hospitals. Now, as we look forward to our annual spring celebrations, we cannot help but be grateful and relieved that we have finally made it here – to a place where we can once again start looking forward with hope.

As the nursing leaders of nine HSHS Illinois hospitals, we ask that you join us in thanking the exceptional women and men who have shown character, resilience and strength beyond measure. When tested, the nurses and health care workers at all of our HSHS Illinois hospitals dug their heels in deeper and held their heads higher. They banded together and fought for our community. Through relentless waves of change, they continued to do what they do best – they cared for our patients.

Health care never stops. Babies are always being delivered, emergencies and traumas are responded to swiftly, treatments are continuously administered, and much-needed surgeries and procedures are always being performed. Although we had to shift our focus at times, our colleagues’ response to our region’s health care needs never wavered.

As we reflect on this year’s Nurses and Hospital Week theme, “Prepared to Care,” we think about the extent and length our health care workers go to simply care. They give their all. Their losses are as real as yours and ours – we cannot forget the lives lost or the trauma endured from this pandemic, but what we can do is join in prayer for the healing of all.

As we move forward, take a moment to show gratitude to a nurse or health care worker this week during National Nurses and Hospital Week, May 6-13. They may be standing next to you in church, in the grocery store checkout line or living next door. Do not hesitate to boldly thank them.

It will mean more than you know.

Allison Paul, DNP, RN, NEA-BC Regina Peterson, DNP, RN

Interim President and CEO, and Chief Nursing Officer Chief Nursing Officer

HSHS St. John’s Hospital HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. O’Fallon

Jill Crum, MSN, RN Bobbi Kinkelaar, MSN, RN

Chief Nursing Officer Chief Nursing Officer

HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Effingham

HSHS St. Francis Hospital, Litchfield

Amanda Ennen, DNP, RN Teresa Cornelius, MSN, RN

Interim President and CEO, and Chief Nursing Officer Chief Nursing Officer

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Breese HSHS Holy Family Hospital, Greenville

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland

Karla Dixon, MSN, RN

Clinical Director

HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital, Shelbyville

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