This is a shout-out to all the marathon runners, cyclists, and triathletes in our community. These sports test a person’s mental and physical ability to keep on when keeping on gets tough. When every muscle is screaming “STOP,” your mind and body keep going. The drive to reach that finish line or accomplish that goal is simply stronger than the voices telling you to quit. I am not writing these things because I too have experienced these moments during those types of athletic events but because I work in healthcare. It has been two years since the world shut down due to Covid-19. We continue to still be in precautionary mode, with the new Covid variants being discovered every few months it seems. Our healthcare workers are fatigued, strained, and sometimes ready to quit, but they don’t. They are the true endurance athletes that show up each day to provide whatever care is needed to our patients, residents, or tenants. All while struggling through the constant regulatory changes and working long hours when their co-worker is ill or unable to come to work with a goal of excellent patient care. I am not discounting those athletes that I previously referenced, but there is a finish line for them. Our healthcare community will continue to go the distance until they see that finish line. If you have the opportunity to show a random act of kindness to your healthcare workers, I know they will appreciate it. National Healthcare Recognition week is coming up in May so let’s make it all our goals to let our health care community know we are there to support them in this journey.
Kris Jacobson, LNHA, LALD, MBA
JMHS Interim CEO
