IT IS likely to be one of the tougher professions, but Sunday will be the time Leeton residents can say thank you to nurses for the hard work they do each day.
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Sunday marks International Nurses Day, which is held each year on the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
While nurses at Leeton District Hospital won't be doing anything specific to mark the day, deputy nurse manager Craig McColm expressed his gratitude to staff.
"They are with patients 24 hours a day and become their advocate," he said.
"We have very high standards in terms of training and code of conduct and all of our nurses here are just fantastic.
"Nurses have the privilege of being involved with patients often at the most vulnerable times in their life."
Leeton hospital has 71 full-time nursing staff and they often receive plenty of thanks from the community.
"We do get a lot of positive feedback," Mr McColm said.
"Sometimes we receive letters and cards from the patients and their relatives, which is lovely."
The Leeton branch of the NSW Nurses Association is currently working with the organisation in its bid to gain better nurse-to-patient ratios.
"It's all about patient safety," Mr McColm said.
"That's what these ratios are all about."
Murrumbidgee Local Health District director of nursing and midwifery Antje Badger said nurses played a key role in the health system.
"Nurses are often the only health professionals accessible to many people in their lifetime," she said.
"Nurses are educated to understand the complex nature of maintaining health and wellness, and the impact of psychosocial and socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment and ethnicity."
International Midwives Day was also marked last Sunday.
