To Every Nurse: Thank You Isn’t Big Enough

Image source, Freepik

There are people whose job descriptions say “nurse,” but what they do every day defies any line item on a contract. They carry clipboards, but also carry families through the darkest hours. They check vitals, but also check in with patients who haven’t seen a familiar face in weeks. They advocate, explain, translate, clean, comfort, and hold — and still get up the next day to do it again.

May 12 is International Nurses Day, and this year, thank you just doesn’t feel big enough.

Because behind every successful recovery, every calm voice in a crisis, and every reassuring hand in a sterile room, is a nurse who gave more than they were asked — because it was the right thing to do.

And if we’re keeping it real, Black nurses — especially Black women — often give tenfold. They walk into rooms where their expertise is doubted, where their warmth is expected but their authority is challenged. And yet, they still show up. They still lead. They still save lives. Often without recognition. Often without rest.

So here’s what we’ll say instead of just thank you:

We see you.

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We see how you advocate for patients who don’t know what to ask. We see how you shoulder grief and still manage to be a source of light. We see the overnight shifts, the aching feet, the silent prayers between rounds. We see the way you listen — not just with your ears, but with your entire being. And we know it costs something.

To the nurse who’s holding space for someone else while trying to hold it together yourself — we love you.

To the nurse who’s reimagining healthcare equity, calling out bias, and demanding better — we honor you.

To the student nurse still learning while working full-time and raising babies — we’re rooting for you.

This is more than a holiday. This is a reminder that the care we receive often begins and ends with you. And for that, we don’t just say thank you.

We say: You matter. You’re needed. You’re incredible. And we’ll keep saying it — louder, better, bolder — until the system starts treating you accordingly.