Nurses Week: ‘Combining Compassion, Empathy and Technology’ [VIDEO]

Renee McCuller, Vice president of Nursing at Willis Knighton Health System, Shreveport - Bossier, talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about the morale of her nurses and changes to the profession in the wake of COVID 19.

Celebrating Nurses Week, McCuller praises her staff for maintaining a high level of performance. "Our nursing staff and nurses around this area...the morale is very high," she says. "We're facing challenging times but often the staff will look at me and say, 'This is why I did it. this is what we do.'"

But McCuller adds that for nurses everywhere, these are unprecedented times. "It's a little bit different because it presents challenges that we've never faced before and we're learning as we go along."

The VP also talks about recently implemented plans to help nurses relieve the stresses of the job. "At Willis Knighton Health System we're addressing their emotional, physical spiritual and mental health. We have put in place here things like debriefing, We're also helping our staff work through issues with various (physical) activities just to get a break and get outside"

McCuller also says thanks to area citizens for their support. "We've had a fabulous respons from the community," she says, "Bringing cards and gifts, food and goody bags and things like that. We've been very appreciative for the support."

The nurse's VP adds that the current situation will change the way nurses do their jobs. "It will change nursing. This is not something that any of us have ever faced. We have to combine compassion and empathy - which we do all the time, with technology in ways we've never done before."