National Nurses Week: In Praise of the Human Connection – Cisco Blogs

In my life, as in the lives of others, there have been those fearful, even existential moments. Heading into surgery. Rushing my sons to the ER (on more occasions than I care to count). When my parents were ill and ailing. These are the moments when nothing else in the world matters, except love and competent care.

During every one of these frightful moments, it has been nurses who made the difference. They do more, of course, than treat our wounds and help heal our bodies. They support us and comfort us, ensuring that our shared humanity is what drives the practice of medicine. In short, it is nurses who put the care in healthcare.

Amidst all the social isolation and fear of the unknown, the human connection that nurses have provided us—even at the risk of their own lives—is more than laudable. It’s heroic.

After a year pervasively marked by fear, sickness, and far, far too much death, we must amplify tenfold our collective gratitude for and appreciation of nurses. Amidst all the social isolation and fear of the unknown, the human connection that nurses have provided us—even at the risk of their own lives—is more than laudable. It’s heroic.

As I dwell on my gratitude for nurses in my life, I think: “Who is supporting them?”

This is why the work we do at Cisco to make healthcare simpler, more accessible, and more effective is deeply, personally meaningful to me. I like to imagine that the nurse who made my son laugh while he was getting sutured has an easier way of caring for her patients thanks to the secure network we provide. I think of the nurse who reassured me during my mom’s pacemaker surgery, and hope that he can safely and securely check in with his patients through expanded telehealth opportunities.

And I certainly take heart in knowing that Cisco technology has, in its own small way, enabled all those nurses who fought on the front lines of COVID to access the vaccines they need to safely continue their work, and their lives.

Celebrating National Nurses Week

So for this year’s #NationalNursesWeek, I want to express my gratitude to nurses, not just for their medical skills, but for making that human connection to those who need it the most. And I hope that Cisco technology makes these connections easier, more robust, and more plentiful.

From our team to yours, Happy National Nurses Week. We are so thankful for you.

To stay informed on all the latest in healthcare and healthcare technology news, follow our #HealthcareNow blog series.

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