Happy Emergency Nurses Week!

It's hard to believe but another year has passed us yet again. It's Fall of 2013 - and it's emergency nurses week!  I might be a little biased, because I am an emergency nurse, so this post is to all of those ER nurses who work short-staffed, pee once a shift (at the end), take a lunch break (stuffing food in their mouth's between codes) and always having that nitty gritty attitude of "This is not the worst part of the day - it. could. get. worse."

Emergency nurses are amazing at their jobs, they have inventive and thoughtful ways of caring for the most complicated patients. After 30+ years working in the ER, I still see veteran nurse's leave a sick patient's room with tears in their eyes. They know what the route will be for this, mom, daughter, father, son, grandmother, uncle, cousin, friend, wife or spouse.

It's really nice to be celebrated, and every year, hospitals take the time to honor their emergency department nurses with a week-long or day of festivities. This celebration is for the nurses who give their best in acts of service, compassion and commitment.

Emergency Nurses Association is doing a really fun celebration contest this week. I don't know if any of you participated in it last year, but here's the short of it: "Last year, we sent all of you a video featuring staff to wish you a happy Emergency Nurses Week. This time, we want to hear from you. This is your chance to not only share what being an emergency nurse means for you, but to celebrate your colleagues from all over the world. Join and help us celebrate!"  - Instagram Contest - ENA  Tag it with #ENWeek

This year's theme as set by ENA is "Everyday Extraordinary". I really like what they say about ER nurses. But I also think, that this can apply to ALL nurses, in every nature of nursing. ENA states "Everyday Extraordinary is a call to acknowledge the daily bravery, devotion and dedication provided by nurses who save lives and care for the critically ill, mentally ill, traumatized, and marginalized patients who enter their doors 24/7."

Cheers to you and all of your dedication and hard work. THANK YOU!!

Global Outreach Mission

Global Outreach Mission (GOM) is another featured organization we would like to share with you. This organization has had over 70 years of ministry experience around the globe...and I mean they are around the globe!  I was amazed at how many countries they have working projects in!  GOM is dedicated to sharing the Gospel of Christ, and they are doing so in over 50 countries.

Currently they have an urgent request out listed on their website: "The Floods in Pakistan have devasted many. Please prayerfully consider helping!"  Donate to Help Pakistan  Other projects GOM is currently working on are: Clean Water Initiative - Sierra Leone, West Africa; Dental Clinic - Belize, South American; Leprosy Clinic - Congo, Africa; Prison Medical and Child outreach - Costa Rica.

Global Health Services Evangelism is the fundamental goal; and essential programs such as church growth, leadership training, camps and medical ministries are a catalyst for effective evangelism. GOM seeks to successfully build and maintain hospitals, smoothly handle short-term clinics in isolated villages, and provide medical professionals with unique opportunities to successfully introduce the love of Christ.

There is a medical need mission to Costa Rica listed on the website that sounds interesting. The trip is to Orosi Valley, south of the capital city of San Jose. Medical teams will travel to areas with the central valley to hold medical clinics for those who have little or on access to proper medical care. There are several opportunities for all- physicians, nurses, paramedics, physical therapists, dentists and physician's assistants.  There is a children's ministry that can be held in conjunction with the medical clinics and opportunities also exist in a local orphanage or at the retreat center.

If you are interested in learning more or contacting a mission specialist please go HERE

Hope you take some time to learn more about this wonderful organization. Thanks for all that you do!

Camp Boggy Creek - Pediatric Nursing Volunteers

I was thumbing around on the website today and found an excellent little camp that I thought I should share to you. Have you ever heard of Camp Boggy Creek? Well if you haven’t, it’s an excellent example of what happens when you gather people together who really want to make a difference in the world and in someone else’s life.

Here is one of the opening lines from their About Us page - “A camp where children with serious illnesses and their families can forget the word “no” for a little while and embrace the promise of “yes”.

Camp Boggy Creek has been around since 1996. It was originally founded by Paul Newman and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. This camp is huge! And it is in one of the best places to visit on earth, especially when it is winter everywhere else. The camp located just outside of Orlando Florida on a 232-acre camp. The camp serves children ages 7-16 who've been diagnosed with a chronic or life-threatening condition.

Are you interested now? Well if you are there are many times and many ways you can volunteer or donate to help. Since Camp Boggy Creek is open year around, their need for volunteers and donations are large. The camp utilizes 1800 volunteers annually to provide a safe, free and medically sound camp environment for these children.

To look at their list of volunteer needs please click HERE

Here is a basic list of their current needs:

Special events, airport transportation ambassador, housekeeping, dining hall/kitchen, maintenance, quilts, afghans, Boggy Bears, Office support, service projects, woodworking. 

During the summer, medical professionals are needed at their summer camps.  These volunteers are nursing or physicians who specialize in the illness they will be serving during that summer camp session. Some summer camp sessions require other medical volunteers, such as pharmacists, EMT/Paramedics and respiratory therapists. Medical and nursing students are also encouraged to volunteer as cabin counselors!

If donation is something you have in mind, here is a direct link to their donation page. Thank you!

We hope you take a moment to read about this wonderful camp and take the opportunity to either donate or take the next step towards volunteering your time there!

Thanks!