Photo By Jean Graves | Nurses at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital celebrated the 122nd anniversary of the...... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. — Nurses at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital celebrated the 122nd anniversary of the Army Nurse Corps with a small ceremony on Feb. 2 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana.
This year’s theme, compassionate care dedicated to the health of our nation was coined by Maj. Aeri Hodges, command surgeon liaison officer for JRTC and Fort Polk. Hodges is also the chief of public health nursing for BJACH.
“The post pandemic atmosphere created a workplace where burnout was pretty common in healthcare and I was struggling,” she said. “I had to remind myself why I became a public health nurse in the first place. I think compassionate care is what drives me towards becoming a better nurse and to serve my community.”
Hodges said while working with nurses from a variety of specialties their compassion reminded her of why people choose careers in nursing.
During the traditional cake cutting the oldest and youngest member of the unit participated.
Today the cake was cut by Maj. Sandra Rodich, clinical nurse in-charge and 1st Lt. Naveen Singh, registered nurse, of the BJACH labor, delivery and postpartum ward.
Rodich said it’s important to have celebrations like this.
“It’s important to honor and remember the nurses who served before us,” she said. “The theme this year is important because the compassionate care of our patients is a priority for all nurses.”
Rodich originally served as mechanic for 14 years in the Army but always knew she wanted to be a nurse or a teacher.
“When I got into nursing, I found out I could do both,” she said. “I became an Army Nurse Corps Officer because I wanted to give back to Soldiers. I was once enlisted and as a nurse I can give back to Families and Soldiers who are going through the same things I did.”
Rodich said between active, reserve and guard time she has 36 years of combined service and beat out the Deputy Commander for Nursing, Col. Dwight Berry by a few months as the oldest member of the Army Nurse Corps at BJACH.
Berry said compassion is one of the greatest attributes for all nurses.
“I think celebrating this anniversary every year reminds us of the historical perspective of our profession,” he said. “Nurses support all spectrums of healthcare. At a military treatment facility or in a field hospital, nurses along with medics are the force multipliers that bring the skill set to help care for patients. Most of the time it’s the nurses on the front lines on a 24-hour basis taking care of patients."
Berry said having a shortage of nurses can hamper any mission.
“I agree that compassion is what sets us apart from other professionals,” he said. “As nurses we can empathize with our patients. Often, many of us became nurses because we once had a nurse who touched our lives. The compassion they showed us or our loved ones during an injury or health crises impacted us in a way that we too wanted to offer that to others.”
Singh said she became a nurse because she loves to take care of people.
“Most people don’t want to be in a hospital. It’s often a very vulnerable time for them and I want to help where I can,” she said. “I was a member of the reserve officer training corps in college and fell in love with the idea of being an Army Nurse Corps officer.”
Singh said compassion is important to a patient’s overall well-being.
“If we all show compassionate care to every one of our patients, we, as nurses, can make a huge difference to the overall health of our nation,” she said.
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.02.2023 17:28 |
| Story ID: | 437746 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Nurse Corps Officer
