Nurses share experiences during Nurse Appreciation Week

TROY — National Nurse Appreciation Week celebrates the efforts of those within the health care profession who work alongside physicians to ensure patients and their families receive the care and support they need.

The observance runs May 6-12 for nurses, professionals who are trained in a wide range of care specialties.

“When I think about the nurses at Corewell Health the words pride and excellence immediately come to mind,” nurse Kelli Sadler, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan, said in an email.

“National Nurses Week is a time to pause and recognize the huge difference nurses make as they work hard to improve the health of the community and make our lives better,” she said in the email.

To further convey the hard work and importance of nurses, some nurses from Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital are sharing their experiences and words of wisdom for those wishing to enter the field.

Melissa Loria is one of the Troy hospital’s nurses who works in the Progressive Care Unit and specializes in cardiac treatment, among other areas of treatment. Loria has always had an interest in science and health, and after some health issues, was encouraged to further pursue her interests in health services in 2018 at Macomb Community College.

Loria’s day usually consists of arriving at work early in the morning to check on the patients and ensure that they received their medication, and to check their lab results, admitting and discharging patients, updating patients and their families on how things are progressing, and preparing for those on staff who have the next shift.

“There’s a lot of multitasking,” Loria said. “I’m usually doing four things at once between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Crazy stuff always happens, and a lot of care goes into it. Families and patients can be very emotional, and I try to treat them as one.”

She enjoys how every day is different with her job and that she is able to meet new people.

“I like talking to people about their backgrounds,” Loria said. “It takes their minds off the situation. Patients can be so sick and have complex diseases, and it ends up being a challenge in care, but it’s rewarding and provides lifelong learning opportunities.”

Loria said health care students should get involved and know what they’re getting into before entering the field.

“Get involved with school and get a foot in the door,” Loria said. “This isn’t a glamorous field, but it’s rewarding.”

Brad Lukas works as the chief nursing officer at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. He received his undergraduate degree in nursing from Wayne State University, as well as studying at the Baker College Center for Graduate Studies, Western Governors University, and Aspen University.

“I knew I wanted to do something with helping people in different areas,” Lukas said. “I like that I can provide mentorship coaching nurses and that I can empower them and their abilities to help patients.”

Lukas has been working with the Troy health center for over 15 years.

“There’s a great culture here, and it doesn’t feel like a big hospital,” Lukas said. “The relationships with nurses, physicians and physical therapists is phenomenal.”

Lukas mentioned that some of the harder parts of his job usually come from the financial side of health care.

“There are challenges with addressing the costs of supplies and labor, staffing shortages, and working with universities to provide scholarships and positions,” Lukas said.

Lukas advises nursing students to make sure they’re getting into this field for the right reasons and to make efforts to make connections with other health care professionals.

“It’s not easy, but it’s very rewarding,” Lukas said. “Students should start in hospitals early. I fell in love with this field through shadowing different jobs and being able to network with professionals. Having that mentorship helped me to grow and find my path.”

For more information, visit beaumont.org/locations/beaumont-hospital-troy.