National Nurses' Week occurs every year starting May 6 and ending May 12 with the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birthday – the founder of modern nursing.
This year, National Nurses’ Week trails behind the one-year mark of COVID-19 operations and has many nurses reflecting on their experiences during the pandemic.
"Nurses' Week is an opportunity to honor and celebrate the art and science of nursing," said Army Maj. Victoria Salas, Evans Army Community Hospital (EACH) chief of nursing services. "It is an opportunity to celebrate the vast contributions nurses deliver in improving patient care and transforming healthcare."
Salas helped establish the Centralized Screening and Testing Center at EACH in March 2020. Over 30,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted since its opening.
"This was an incredible experience to be a part of and is probably going to be one of the most memorable experiences that I take away," said Salas.
The fight against COVID-19 may have started within the walls of EACH, but several nurses, including Salas, soon answered the call at other locations.
The 627th Hospital Center at Fort Carson was tasked by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send medical personnel to several locations in support of a Department of Defense COVID-19 response operation.
The 627th HC is comprised of a headquarters responsible for 12 multi-functional medical units capable of world-wide deployment to include a 148-bed field hospital, forward resuscitation surgical detachments, medical logistics company, preventative medicine, veterinary and optometry detachments.