The Frontline Health Workers Coalition and Save the Children are launching the second annual REAL Awards, a very special awards program designed to develop respect and appreciation for health workers for the care they give in the United States and globally.
The list of those who can be nominated is long: nurse practitioners, nurses, doctors, hospice workers, midwives, physician’s assistants, community health workers, pharmacists, public health officers and General Health or Others (which I am assuming covers our frontline caregivers in long-term care).
The awards focus is on the “REAL winners”, as announced after this year’s Emmy Awards, which I believe was a very good time to launch the campaign. It is true we live in a society that venerates our entertainers, but I think this is amazing to have an award program that admires and reveres healthcare workers.
I mean sure, entertainment makes a difference. We get to escape to foreign lands that exist or places that only exist only in the screenwriter’s mind. Or we get to escape into action, adventure, romance or comedy and that may “make a difference” in your day for the moment.
But people who are sick, chronically ill, old, demented, etc. sometimes can “escape” only through the love, devotion and real caring of those who have dedicated their lives to the service of healthcare. So for the REAL Awards, may I say “Bravo!” and thank you for honoring the real people who make a difference everyday.
You can nominate a health worker at www.theREALawards.com until November 29, 2012.
Just keeping it REAL,
Nurse Jackie
The Real Nurse Jackie is written by Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC, a 2012 APEX Award of Excellence winner for Blog Writing. Vance is a real life long-term care nurse who is also the director of clinical affairs for the American Medical Directors Association. A nationally respected nurse educator and past national LTC Nurse Administrator of the Year, she also is an accomplished stand-up comedienne. She has not starred in her own national television series — yet. The opinions supplied here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of her employer or her professional affiliates.
