The Power of Nurses: 30+ Years of Care in Action
During National Nurses Week 2026 (May 6–12), HaysMed is honored to spotlight nurses with 30+ years of experience, professionals who have witnessed change, faced challenges head-on, and continued to lead with compassion. Their stories reflect the true power of nursing and the lasting impact it has on lives, families, and our community.
As Joben Rieth, HaysMed Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, shares: “HaysMed nurses care for patients across every stage of life, often within the same 12-hour shift. That adaptability is one of the greatest strengths our nurses bring to our organization every day. The Power of Nurses lives in every interaction, every decision, and every patient we serve. I am proud of the incredible nurses of HaysMed, not just during Nurses Week, but every day.”
What’s something you know now about nursing that you wish you’d known your first year?
“The first year in the OR can be quite overwhelming, stick with it and the satisfaction of knowing that your patients are well taken care of with great outcomes. The advancements in OR will be amazing and how the progression of procedures changing with patients not having to be in the hospital for an extended amount of time but going home the next day!”
In 30+ years, what moment best reminds you why you became a nurse?
“Taking care of a patient in the OR with a ruptured AAA that the outcome looked bleak and seeing that patient walk back into our OR, months later to tell us thank you.”
Would you rather deal with a beeping IV pump all night or a squeaky chair at the nurses’ station?
“I would rather deal with a squeaky chair because I would be able to switch it out or use some spray to help the squeak.”
What’s one word your coworkers would use to describe your nursing style?
“Teamwork, because in the OR it takes a team for a procedure to be completed and have great outcomes.”