In honor of the dedication and compassion nurses show daily, this heartfelt poem by Dr. Allan Basbaum (PhD), Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy at the University of San Francisco, highlights the vital role nurses play in healthcare. Their unwavering commitment to patient care often goes unnoticed, but as the poem reflects, it’s time we recognize and appreciate their invaluable contributions. Through the words of this poem, we celebrate nurses worldwide and call for greater recognition of their dedication, especially in these challenging times.

You show up at the hospital, and your first interaction’s with a nurse.
Which is why, to me, their lack of appreciation is unquestionably perverse.
You remember the doc, who may have spent at most 10 minutes alone with you,
But not the nurses who may have been with you for hours. Clearly, their recognition’s long overdue.

Yes, nurses are underappreciated, and most are underpaid,
Twelve-hour shifts are not uncommon, and they often work with equipment long decayed.
Of course, COVID, not to mention burnout, made the situation much worse.
In fact, by 2030, there will be 13 million unfilled positions. So, we’ll be lucky to find a nurse.

At this World Patients Alliance, we honor nurses and together agreed,
To share information with all Health Care Professionals and emphasize the need.
We’re a gathering of WHO, the African Medical Association, researchers and clinicians
And generous funders who support the effort to bring to the nurse more recognition.

Don’t forget: The nurse is a caregiver, and a listener, with DNA genes that code compassion.
Nurses are indeed a special breed. To care is their lifelong passion.
So, after you leave this wonderful meeting, please spread the word when you get home.
Wear your badges and show the videos that honor nurses, and yes, it’s ok to recite this poem!