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Team Andersen celebrates National Nurses Week

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  May 6 marked the start of National Nurses Week, a weeklong recognition period designed to celebrate nurses' and medical technicians' contributions to their patients' medical care needs nationwide.

Team Andersen senior leaders from the 36th Medical Group clinic showed their appreciation by purchasing lunch for their staff and thanking them for a job well done throughout the year.

"We take caring for our patients very seriously," said Lt. Col. Margaret Carey, 36th Medical Operations Squadron commander and chief nurse. "The nurses and techs are part of a team that works very hard to provide for our patients. I'm very proud and appreciate everything they do here in the clinic."

National Nurses Week also promotes healthy living choices and ideals. Nurses and techs discuss various topics with patients geared toward overall improvement of health.

"We accomplish this goal by educating our community on how to decrease blood pressure or cholesterol as well as informing the patient on the role a nurse plays between a patient and a doctor," said Capt. Cynthia Montesi, 36th MDOS family practice clinic nurse.

Nurses and techs each play different roles within the clinic here. Nurses assist providers by performing telephone consults with patients and assisting patients with overall health questions.

Techs here work closely with the providers to give information regarding patients' medical issues. They assist by taking blood pressure and other vital signs and processing patients into the clinic.

"The thing I like the most about my job is we get to meet a lot of people and we do our best to try and help them," said Staff Sgt. Nicole Reyes, 36th MDOS aerospace medical technician. "We also get to work closely with the nurses and doctors, so we get to learn so much about the medical field."

The nurses and techs put forth immense efforts to ensure patients are provided quality medical care year-round.

"It's a morale booster for us to take a time-out to make the community aware that this is our week and if they want to give thanks, they can take the opportunity," Captain Montesi said. "I think sometimes people get so busy with work that people forget to say what they appreciate about techs or nurses."