WRNMMC, Bethesda, MD  –   National Nurses Week, observed May 6-12, recognizes and honors the special role nurses play in the field of health care and the welfare of their patients. But according to Chief Nursing Officer Navy Capt. Jessica Beard, the nurses at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) deserve recognition year-round because of the unique roles they fill serving at the Flagship of Military Medicine.
“There is no place I would rather be than where I’m at right now, being a nurse at the President’s Hospital,” she said. “Serving our active duty members, our veterans, their families and even our top government officials is a good feeling. Our nurses are superstars and we have to celebrate them today and always,” she said.
Beard joined the Navy 33 years ago. She started as a storekeeper at the grade of Seaman Recruit (E1), the Navy’s lowest enlisted rank. She credits the Navy with giving her the opportunity to follow her passion of becoming a nurse. She would later build on that passion to become the Director of Nursing at WRNMMC.
Throughout her career, Beard served in numerous overseas and stateside assignments, including Afghanistan, Japan, California, Florida, Mississippi, and Rhode Island. In late 2020, the Navy captain came to WRNMMC and assumed her current role as chief nursing officer. She describes the job as an honor. “Taking care of our heroes and their families is something that brings joy, and I am delighted to be part of it, working alongside these amazing hard-working nurses,” she said. “That feeling is priceless.”   
Nurses’ Week observance
Beard believes that while all nurses deserve recognition, National Nurses Week takes on a very special meaning for nurses at WRNMMC. “Despite the challenges our nurses have gone through during the last three years of a global pandemic, they are somehow able to be there for our patients during their most vulnerable moments,” said Beard. “Even in the midst of COVID-19, our nurses never quit. They continued to treat our nation’s wounded warriors, their families, and our allies from abroad. All nurses are special but in my opinion, our nurses are extra-special.”
The theme for this year’s National Nurses Week is ‘United in Service, Rooted in Strength.’ Beard said nurses in general are extremely hard-working and incredibly resilient. “They are on the front lines working 24-7. They are next to the patients on weekends and holidays. Nurses make sure that prescriptions are administered accurately, vital signs are checked, and patients are as comfortable as possible during some pretty uncomfortable procedures. We need to celebrate and appreciate them because they are still standing strong and tall. I am very proud of them. That’s why this year’s theme is so appropriate,” she said.
WRNMMC nursing career
 Beard describes her job at WRNMMC as fulfilling. She said this is the right place to be if one is looking for a supportive working environment where talent and hard work are appreciated. “We celebrate our nurses daily because we value what they do. We provide mentorship, career support and other job-related incentives to attract and retain the finest to deliver the best in military medicine to our heroes and their families. Our nurses are a big part of why we are the flagship of military medicine. That’s why working here has a very special feeling for me and my nurses too,” she said.
COVID-19 effects on nurses nationwide
Capt. Beard said the nursing profession nationwide suffered a huge setback during the last three years due to COVID-19. Today, nursing shortages are impacting medical facilities big and small, rural and urban, civilian and military. But because of WRNMMC’s unique place in the field of military medicine, nurses play a crucial role in the ability of this historic institution to continue its one-of-a-kind mission.  
“If you work for WRNMMC as a nurse, you work for the nation, you work for the president. And working for this hospital is a feeling you just don’t get anywhere else. From treating military members and their families, to treating legislators and their constituents, we truly are America’s hospital.”
To Beard, National Nurses Week is more than just an annual observance. It is a recognition of the critical role nurses play in health care, especially here at WRNMMC. “Nurses help put the ‘care’ in health care,” she explained. “Take away nurses, and you take away quality, patient-centered care. It’s that simple”
For more on how nurses’ week is being celebrated across the Defense Health Agency, click on the following link: https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/MHS-Toolkits/Holidays-and-Observances/May/Nurses-Week