National Nurses Week 

PENSACOLA – Covenant Hospice will honor the work of its nurses to provide compassionate hospice and palliative care to individuals facing end-of-life issues during this year's National Nurses Week, celebrated annually May 6-12 throughout the United States. This year, the American Nurses Association has selected "Nurses: Building a Healthy America" as the theme for 2009.

Covenant Hospice nurses are specially trained in pain and symptom control techniques that help to alleviate the suffering often associated with a life-limiting illness. Covenant nurses make regularly-scheduled visits, provide patient and family education, skilled patient care, and are available on a 24-hour per day on-call basis for emergencies.

Annually, National Nurses Week begins on May 6, marked as RN Recognition Day, and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession. During this week, registered nurses at Covenant Hospice will be honored by the non-for-profit organization.

Traditionally, National Nurses Week is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways in which registered nurses, the largest health care profession, are working to improve health care. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting the expanding health care needs of American society.