Heat, Hustle, and Heart: South Florida’s Nurses Deserve More Than a Thank You
Every May, we get a week to say thank you to nurses. And here in South Florida, that barely feels like enough.
Because nursing here isn’t just a job, it’s a juggling act in 90% humidity. One moment it’s a jellyfish sting, the next a diabetic emergency, all while translating between English, Spanish, Creole, and the ever-confusing language of insurance paperwork.
Our nurses don’t just show up. They carry this place.
They navigate crowded ERs, calm crying parents, juggle charts and emotions, and somehow manage to remember every allergy and birthday in a five-room radius. They walk faster than the rest of us run. They don’t just endure 12-hour shifts—they own them.
And let’s not forget the school nurses, handling glitter glue in the morning and heartbreak by noon. Or hospice nurses, who hold space in the quiet moments when families can’t find the words.
It takes grit. It takes grace. It takes a human being willing to do the hardest work, on the hardest days, without ever expecting applause.
So if you’re wondering how to say thank you, don’t start with cake. Start with eye contact. With patience. With respect. Write a note. Buy a real cup of coffee. Give them the good chair in the break room for once.
To every nurse working under fluorescent lights while the rest of the world looks the other way—we see you.
This isn’t just Nurses Week. This is your reminder: you’re the reason we stay standing.
