The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station joined LAPD, LAFD, CHP, and Beverly Hills Police and Fire to celebrate nurses and healthcare workers on National Nurses Day, and pay tribute to the men and women who are on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
First responder vehicles lined up along Santa Monica Boulevard and La Cienega, one which started at 9:45 a.m. and another that started at 7:15 p.m. The motorcades flashed their lights, blared their sirens and honked their horns as they headed west and traveled southbound on N. San Vicente Boulevard, passing multiple medical center locations in West Hollywood en route to a destination outside the emergency room entrance of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Gracie Allen Drive. First responders stepped outside of their vehicles and applauded healthcare workers while wearing face coverings.
“I’m grateful to the law enforcement officials and all of our public safety officials who made this motorcade possible for National Nurses Day to kick off National Nurses Week,” incoming West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath, told WEHO TIMES. “We know during this time of crisis, now more than ever, we need our nurses, we need to appreciate the work that they do every day and we’re so deeply grateful to Cedars, to Planned Parenthood, to the LA LGBT Health Center and everyone who is working hard to keep us healthy and safe.”
National Nurses Day is a day of recognition to celebrate and honor the contributions that nurses have made and continue to make in our communities and throughout the nation. National Nurses Day is celebrated annually on May 6, which marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, a week-long celebration to raise awareness of the value of nursing and educate the public on the role nurses play in meeting the healthcare needs of Americans. National Nurses Week concludes on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, or as she was more commonly known, “The Lady of the Lamp” and founder of modern nursing.
The City of West Hollywood encourages residents and community members to participate during this day of celebration while still adhering to LA County Safer At Home Orders and social distancing requirements. Suggested forms of participation include amplifying posts on social media channels, making yard or window signs and banners, participating in a coordinated daily applause or shout out for nurses and healthcare workers, and donating to organizations that are addressing the emerging needs of nurses and healthcare workers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) health pandemic.
According to the American Nursing Association, nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession, with more than four million registered nurses in the United States. Registered nurses comprise one of the largest segments of the U.S. workforce and are the primary providers of hospital patient care, delivering most of the nation’s long-term care. In nursing, where workers are on the front lines of patient interactions, women make up more than 85 percent of the workforce. This year, with the onset of coronavirus, nurses have stepped up and shown the incredible impact they have on our healthcare system. It is more important than ever that we recognize National Nurses Day and celebrate the significance of nurses every day.
