A Tribute to Military Nurses

Julie Reyes, DNP, RN

Hot Lips Houlihan.

I thought she was the toughest, smartest, most amazing person in the world! She made me want to be a nurse when I grew up, because I wanted to be her. I watched her (MASH) everyday after school, at 5 pm - if I had finished my homework. I thought that life as a military nurse would be exciting and challenging! I never had the opportunity to have that dream come true, but I want to take this opportunity to thank the men and women who are military nurses.

I cannot imagine the lives you are living as combat nurses caring for our soldiers who are injured in battle. I can't imagine the equipment you carry, the layers of clothes you wear, the stoic persona you embody when bending over a young man or woman who has shrapnel in their belly or their legs blown off. I can't imagine how you move with agility when you are not in scrubs but in combat attire. Or how you comfort a soldier with fear in his/her eyes, as you hold their hand knowing they might die.

I imagine you are some of the toughest and smartest nurses, prepared to handle any emergency, any trauma, any illness. I imagine you are the soothing voice, the calming presence, the one they trust and put their hope in. I imagine you have comforted soldiers who are scared, in immense pain, who are angry, or feel hopeless and depressed. I imagine you have soothed the screams of one who wakes in the middle of the night with dreams of terror.

You may carry weapons, you have been trained in military combat, you are physically fit, and mentally aware of danger if you are in a combat zone. You work in sometimes frightening situations, and you keep going. It is what you do, because you have grit. You debride wounds, administer antibiotics and pain meds if you are in a wounded warrior hospital. You counsel, support, advocate, and fight for those who have fought for our freedom. You get the soldier back to as much of a normal life as possible, always encouraging, always helping with family dynamics, always doing some great or small action that will benefit the life of this soldier - and the family they go home to.

You care for all of the Veterans that come to you. Those who served as far back as WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Iran, and as recently as Afghanistan. You treat each person with dignity and respect, you honor those you serve. You are the "Soldiers' Angels", and you are just that - Angels. You serve in the trenches, in medical units, in small and big hospitals, in places with many resources, and in places where you have to make do with what you have. You are resourceful, inventive, innovative, and masters of creativity. You plan collaboratively to meet all the needs of your patients, and yes, you can pull rabbits out of hats if that is what it takes to help your patient - to help your brother or sister in arms. You save the lives of those who sacrificed without so much as a thought to how much YOU are sacrificing.

You make the world a better place.

I admire you; I envy your courage and your strength. You are the nurses that young boys and girls now look to - the "Hot Lips" - of this generation. You are tough, brave, and smart. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for your service to our country. I would like to take this time to honor you, my comrade in nursing, for answering the call to duty. I want to thank you for all you have done and all you are doing.

You are truly an American Hero.

A Tribute to Military Nurses

About Julie Reyes, DNP, RN

More Like This