GI Nurse and Associates Week: Here’s How You Can Show Your Support

• GI Nurse and Associates Week is March 20-26!  
• The role of a GI nurse and their team is vital in ensuring that procedures such as colonoscopies, endoscopies, and conscious sedation go as smoothly as possible. 
• Do you have a GI nurse or team member in your life that you want to support? Here’s a few things you can do! 

GI Nurse and Associates Week

The Society of Gastroenterology and Nurses and Associates (SGNA) hosts this week-long, annual holiday for nurses in GI fields. 

In 2022, it is the week of March 20-26.  

Are you a GI nurse? Or do you have a family member or friend in the profession that you wish to recognize this week? We’ve got you covered! 

The Role of a GI Nurse and Their Team

Online resource for information on nursing professions, RegisteredNursing.org, outlines the multifaceted role of a GI nurse as a provider who: 

• Assists with endoscopy/colonoscopy 
• Educates patients in diet changes needed to maintain a healthy GI tract 
• Works collaboratively with physicians, nutritionists, and other ancillary staff to ensure the patient’s needs are met 
• Medication management/education 
• Administers, maintains, and monitors conscious sedation 

A nurse in this role can work independently, in or outside of a healthcare setting, and work hands-on with patients. It is imperative that a GI nurse and their associates understand the utility of patient education, as it is essential in this field.  

The Road to Becoming a GI Nurse

It takes many years to become a nurse in this field.  

From nursing school to the NCLEX-RN examination and gaining years of clinical experience, it is no question that GI nurses are dedicated to their field. 

Not to mention, once a GI nurse earns at least two years of experience in gastroenterology they must complete the American Board of Certification for Gastroenterology Nurses (CGRN) certification exam for career advancement. 

How Can You Show Support?

It is no question that the past two, almost three, years have been incredibly exhausting and difficult for nurses as the pandemic continues to ravage healthcare systems and their staffing rates.  

Do you have a GI nurse or team member in your life that you wish to show a little extra love and support for during this year’s GI Nurse and Associates Week? We’ve got you covered!  

Here are just a few things you can do (both big or small) to say thanks:

If you are a past patient

From highlighting someone that made a positive impact on you during a hospital stay or clinic visit on social media or sending a gift basket with a meaningful, hand-written note, there are so many things that you can do to show your appreciation for them.  

If you are a past patient of a certified nurse, perhaps cooking a homemade meal, sending a ‘thank you’ video, or creating a one-of-a-kind gift is more your speed, and that’s okay, too!  

There is truly nothing that a nurse loves more than to see their patients be truly appreciative of the care that they provided to them and to know that they made a difference in their lives, whether it was for 10 days or 10 minutes.

If you are an administrator 

Even the smallest token of recognition and appreciation can go a long way. 

Pizza parties are fine and all, but nurses want to feel like they are truly making a positive impact in your facility.  

This can easily be accomplished with shoutouts and simple gestures.  

Check out this example from Northwest Community Healthcare and how they honored their emergency nurses! This can just as easily be done for all certified nurses in a facility. 

Your hard-working nurses should be rewarded for their sacrifices, dedication, and endurance throughout their career, but more importantly, the last few exhausting years!

If you are a family member of a GI nurse

As we are sure you have witnessed, workers in the healthcare industry have not had it easy, and the work-life balance is non-existent.  

You may see your spouse less than you would like to, or maybe they had missed more of your children’s sporting events than they originally anticipated when they started this job, but it is a sacrifice they must make to save lives.  

I know it is hard for you, and it is just as hard for them, too.  

Just to be clear, this should not be the only time you dedicate to showing them that you care and appreciate all the hard work they put into their career.   

However, making them a spa appointment on their day off or tackling all the chores for the week to ensure they don’t have anything to worry about when they get home is a good start!   

Like I said previously, a little can go a long way.

Of course, there are so many ways to say, ‘thank you,’ and the more personalized and sentimental they are, the better.   

However, if you’re running low on money or time before GI Nurse and Associates Week, check out some year-round freebies for nurses that they are guaranteed to love! 

Wondering what other holidays we have coming up? See our Nursing Holidays 2022 page! 

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