05/14/2026
🎉 Wrapping up Nurses' Week & Celebrating 118 Years! 🎉
Yesterday, we proudly wrapped up Nurses' Week by celebrating the 118th birthday of the Navy Nurse Corps! At Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Patuxent River/Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, our active duty and civilian nurses are the "glue" of our clinics.
Our nurses cover an incredible spectrum of vital roles to ensure our warfighters, retirees, and their families receive exceptional care. Whether providing direct medical and mental health care, administering immunizations, or keeping our workforce safe through occupational health, our nurses are at the forefront of patient readiness. Beyond clinical care, they seamlessly manage patient referrals, answer portal inquiries, handle essential office administration, champion the quality of patient care, and provide clinic and executive leadership—all the way up to serving as our Commanding Officer, CAPT Ken Radford.
As best said by CAPT Radford, "On the occasion of the Navy Nurse Corps' 118th birthday and National Nurses Week, I want to recognize the extraordinary military and civilian nurses we have at NMRTC Patuxent River, NMRTU Dahlgren and NMRTC Dets Indian Head and JBA providing clinical excellence and care across our geographically dispersed sites. Our nurses are dedicated professionals who blend clinical excellence with genuine compassion every day. Nurses Week is one week, but what our nurses give to our patients, our crew and our healer mission and warrior mindset happens all year."
As part of the nurses' week events our clinics observed the time-honored tradition of the "Blessing of the Hands" ceremonies. This tradition pauses to recognize the profound impact of our nursing staff, symbolically honoring and dedicating their hands as instruments of healing, compassion, and comfort for the patients they serve every day.
Thank you to all of our nurses for your unwavering dedication and expertise in every role you fill. Happy 118th Birthday to the Navy Nurse Corps! 🎂⚓️