Much of my success as a doctor came from the nurses around me.

Skills such as inserting foley catheters, IV lines, and changing post-surgical dressings came from the patience of dedicated nurses who took the time to teach a fledgling young doctor.

I never had a Nurse Ratched, although some were definitely tough. Their experience was transferred into my experience, and nurses laid the groundwork of empathy and sympathy I embrace today.

Plus, they brought forth one’s innate sense of goodness and wellbeing, allowing the healing of the mind and soul.

This is Nurse Appreciation Week, in celebration on May 12 of the 200-year anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday. I salute the women and men who continue to exemplify the character and devotion for those who are suffering, especially with the threatening virus that endangers society today.

Nurses still fearlessly move forward despite dangers, being stalwarts of bravery in their unyielding efforts.

Thank you to nurses and other healthcare colleagues who strive to heal and care for those in need.

Your skills and courage will persevere another two hundred years.

Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D., is a geriatric house-call physician who serves as president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults and Assemblyman to the California Senior Legislature. He has practiced in the Santa Clarita Valley for 32 years.