BUFFALO, N.Y. — Being a nurse is a tough job any time, let alone during a pandemic.
This week is the perfect chance to say thank you, as Thursday is the beginning of National Nurses Week.
Spectrum News got a glimpse into the day in the life of a nurse at Kenmore Mercy Hospital. A veteran nurse there says the profession runs in the family.
Nurse Ellen Colan says goodbye to her two daughters Rachel and Ashley. The girls hop in their own cars, just like their mom, and head to work. And just like their mom, they are all nurses.
Rachel graduates from nursing school this month. Ashley works as an ICU nurse at Rosewell Park. All three went to D'Youville College.
“Seeing my mom go to work every day and seeing my sister go to school inspired me to do the same thing,” said Rachel.
Ellen arrives to work at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, where she started working in 1992. Once she gets to work, she changes into her scrubs, heads to her office, checks emails and then jumps into a busy day.
She worked as an OR nurse for about 30 years and then transitioned to a perioperative senior clinical advisor, which means she helps educate other nurses, along with new hires, and keeps staff up to date on changes in health care.
From there, she checks in with other nurses, answering any questions. She covers a lot of floors.
“Sometimes if someone needs help, and they are not sure and they have a question, so there are a lot of questions. Take care of patients, make sure they are taken care of properly, safely, any questions, even with physicians, I help them as well. More so with the staff though, so I am always there as a resource,” Ellen said.
She’s busy, but cannot see herself doing anything else. This has been her lifelong calling.
“I just wanted to take care of patients and be a part of their care. I was always interested in sciences and said 'I think nursing is my specialty,' ” said Ellen.
It's a calling that she is proud her daughters share.
“It’s heart-warming to know they want to do what I am doing,” said Ellen.
Nurses Week runs through May 12.