Today is the first day of Nurses Week, which is celebrated May 6-12 each year by hospitals across the country to recognize and show appreciation for the vital role of nurses in the healthcare setting and in the community.

It’s impossible to overstate the critical role nurses play in the healthcare delivery system. From hospitals to outpatient clinics, surgery centers and more, nurses touch the lives of so many people every single day. They are there for patients in times of sorrow and times of joy, delivering high-quality patient care with the concern and compassion patients need when they are at their most vulnerable.

At MCMC, we are fortunate to have an incredible team of nurses who are always there for their patients and colleagues, and we are so thankful for the work they do.

As we celebrate Nurses Week, I am extremely pleased to announce that MCMC has appointed nursing leader Jayme Thompson Mason, RN, as Chief Nursing Officer. In this role, Jayme will oversee quality and safety initiatives, as well as clinical education, patient care delivery models, strategic and operational planning for nursing services, and development for 205 nurses across the MCMC health system, which includes the hospital and outpatient clinics.

Jayme has been with MCMC for more than 20 years and has served as a staff nurse in the emergency department, a nursing house supervisor and most recently as the director of emergency services, emergency management and nursing resources. As chief nursing officer, she joins the hospital’s executive leadership team, and it is my honor to welcome her into this executive position.

With her clinical experience, strong leadership skills, and her longstanding commitment to MCMC and our patients, Jayme is the right person to lead the extraordinary nursing team we have at MCMC.

Please join me in congratulating Jayme on her new role.

To all of our nurses and the contributions you make to MCMC and our community, I wish you a very Happy Nurses Week!