DCI News

Jefferson City, Mo – National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6^th and ends on May 12^th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. To mark this year’s National Nursing Week, the Missouri State Board of Nursing’s executive director reminds Missourians that nurses have risen to recent challenges and are highly-respected. 

“Nurses continue to be on the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lori Scheidt, Missouri State Board of Nursing, executive director.

“This past year we know nurses have been challenged in every way imaginable. Nurses have risen to these challenges which has highlighted their perseverance, compassion and dedication to public protection,” said Scheidt.

Nationally, for the 19^th year in a row, Americans rated nurses the highest in honesty and ethics among a list of professions, according to a recent Gallup poll.  The poll revealed that 89 percent of Americans rated nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “high'' or “very high,” coming in even higher than last year’s record setting number.

In Missouri, Scheidt credited Governor Parson who took decisive action with executive orders early in the pandemic. His initiatives allowed graduate nurses to practice longer, extended temporary permits, waived some advanced practice registered nurse practice regulations and added more flexibility to telehealth. 

The Governor’s Office continues to challenge all state agencies to work on the priorities of workforce development and infrastructure. We now have workforce data on over 94 percent of licensed nurses. This allows our board to analyze the regional location of nurses and target solutions that will assist regions of the state that need nurses the most. To date, the board has awarded more than $7 million to nursing education programs to increase capacity.

Scheidt also noted that the agency has a very supportive board which works hard to address the concerns of Missouri’s nursing workforce.

“Now, more than ever, it is important to take time to thank a nurse,” said Scheidt.