Burgum declares this week ND Nurses Week

Add Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - To show gratitude for their service over the last few years, Governor Doug Burgum dedicated this week as North Dakota Nurses Week.

The dedication comes as the need for nurses has increased in North Dakota and nationwide. Nurses have cited burnout from the pandemic and have asked for better wages, but despite reports of low morale, nurses who work in the intensive care unit at Sanford Health in Bismarck are hopeful about the future of the profession.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of burnout at the bedside. I am hopeful, I feel like, in a career like this, if you are compassionate, dedicated, you want to go into nursing,” said Jessica Bruer, registered nurse in the intensive care unit at Sanford Health in Bismarck.

Bruer spoke about how physically and emotionally demanding the job is, especially in the ICU, but she says seeing patients overcome their illnesses, in part because of her care, makes the job worth it. She also says she feels supported by both the Bismarck-Mandan community as a whole and from hospital administrators at Sanford, which is a boost to morale.