Dickinson nurse honored with North Dakota Nurses Hall of Fame induction

DICKINSON — The coronavirus pandemic hit nurses exceptionally exhausting, and certainly one of Dickinson’s very personal is being acknowledged for her advocacy by way of all of it.

Tessa Johnson

was honored with the North Dakota Nurses Corridor of Fame Award throughout a NDN Affiliation assembly on Sept. 19.

Johnson is a registered nurse, govt director of

CountryHouse

and Evergreen senior care facilities, and President of the North Dakota Nurses Affiliation.

“It was very surprising, nevertheless it feels wonderful,” Johnson mentioned. “I’m so humbled to know that that effort, particularly throughout COVID, the issues that we as a board did, and you understand, the issues that I went by way of because the president throughout that basically exhausting time had been appreciated and impressed others, as a result of that is all the time my aim.”

She mentioned the award is given to registered nurses on an as-needed foundation after they have made a traditionally vital contribution of long-lasting significance to the apply of nursing within the Roughrider State. Sherri Miller, govt director of the North Dakota Nursing Affiliation, mentioned she believes Johnson is the primary recipient of this specific award in additional than 30 years.

“Now we have completely different awards that we can provide out, sort of as wanted foundation and I got here throughout that one and thought it was excellent for her,” Miller mentioned. “She’s simply all the time been there for me and for all of the board and all the opposite nurses. After which actually I feel the most important factor is that she was on this place throughout the pandemic. It is one thing that none of us have ever skilled.”

Johnson did information interviews, nurse advocacy, for nationwide and worldwide information organizations, Miller mentioned. She added whereas Johnson is type and caring, she additionally isn’t afraid to say what must be mentioned.

“She simply very eloquently represented us and was a powerful voice for nursing,” Miller mentioned. “We thought it was actually acceptable that she will get the award.”

Johnson mentioned whereas some individuals may not notice how a lot work goes right into a non-profit group, she felt it was vital to talk up about issues that matter to her.

“I spoke to a gaggle of nursing college students yesterday and what I instructed them was, individuals actually wish to hearken to what nurses should say, even a woman who grew up in small city Dickinson, you understand,” Johnson mentioned. “We’re the specialists in our subject and the spine of well being care and our lawmakers, our legislators, they do not all the time know what we all know. And so we’ve to have the ability to advocate for our career as a result of if we do not, nobody else goes to do it.”

That is Johnson’s eighth 12 months volunteering on the NDNA board. She mentioned the assembly was bittersweet as a result of since her time period is up, it was her final one.

“It is very nice to know that, you understand, individuals have appreciated and been impressed by the trouble that I put into that as a result of it has been quite a lot of dedication and quite a lot of exhausting work, nevertheless it’s tremendous, tremendous rewarding,” Johnson mentioned. “Some of the rewarding experiences of my life. So to be honored with that is simply actually, you understand, the icing on the cake as a result of I do it for the nurses and actually wish to make a distinction.”

Johnson hopes to proceed to advocate for nurses.

“I’ve actually all the time been captivated with management and serving to individuals develop and study and took that to an entire different stage of getting our voices out and assembly some actually unbelievable nurses throughout the state,” Johnson mentioned. “I’ve labored with quite a lot of board members. And I do know that proper now our NDNA board is in a extremely good place. Now we have actually sturdy board members that deeply care and our president elect as properly. So I be ok with the time that I’ve spent, and understanding that it will proceed to achieve success. I completely will stay an NDNA member and take part in issues and proceed to present my help and advocacy to the nurses, simply at a unique capability.”