At Hope By The Sea, our clients on a path to long-term recovery significantly rely on having access to medical specialists. Not only doctors, but nurses as well; as a matter of fact, both our Chief Executive Officer (Penny Carlsen) and Chief Executive Officer (Candy Carlsen) have an extensive background in nursing.
Penny Carlsen, a Loma Linda University School of Nursing alum, worked at the Loma Linda University Medical Center on the Neurosurgery, Neurology and Rehabilitation Unit. Her daughter, Candy Carlsen, RN, worked at UCLA Medical Center in the neuro/surgical trauma ICU and also at Hoag Memorial in the cardiac ICU.
HBTS clients benefit from Candy’s extensive training in psychopharmacology. She is able to inform our clients and their families about the gravity of proper medication management and compliance in recovery.
As we all hunker down, sheltering in place and observing stay at home orders, it’s hard to avoid reading and watching news reports about the heroic men and women in the field of nursing. Individuals who put their lives at risk to save the lives of others every day. To call such people, heroes, would be an understatement. The sacrifice and selflessness exhibited by nurses is a marvel and something to be grateful for as we weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
While we honor medical professionals treating the sick and consoling the families who lose loved ones, it’s hard to ignore that in less than three months, this public health crisis has become catastrophic.
The latest available data indicates that 1,092,173 Americans have tested positive for the deadly coronavirus. Moreover, families across the country are mourning the loss of 63,924 men, women, and children. To put it another way, coronavirus has taken the lives of more Americans in just a few months than over the course of 20 years in Vietnam.
National Nurses Day
It goes without saying that without the dedication of nurses across the United States, the death toll would be significantly higher. These frontline health workers deserve our recognition and respect, like a firefighter rushing into a burning building. In this case, of course, the fire is invisible, but the burns are not.
On May 6, 2020, we hope that you will take some time out of your day to acknowledge the men and women in the field of nursing. Next Wednesday is National Nurses Day and the start of National Nurses Week. The observance began in 1954.
Naturally, you cannot march into your local hospital and thank a nurse for their service. However, you can utilize social media to share your thoughts, prayers, and respect for nurses. Many have contracted and died from COVID-19 because they were helping others fight for their lives.
You may not know this, but a nurse is one of the reasons we all wash and disinfect our hands to prevent the spread of disease. Perhaps you have heard of Florence Nightingale? She was a nurse whose birthday, May 12, is the final day of the annual observance. National Today writes:
“At the end of the 19th century, “The Lady with the Lamp”— or as she is more widely known, Florence Nightingale — founded modern nursing. Thanks to her strict use of hand-washing and hygiene practices while caring for wounded soldiers in the Crimean War, Nightingale and her helpers reduced the death rate from 42% to 2% — ushering in nursing as we know it today.”
Southern California Addiction Recovery Center
At Hope By The Sea, we specialize in the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorder. We can help people with co-occurring mental health disorders, as well. Please contact us today to learn more about our evidence-based programs and services. Hope Starts Here!
