Gratitude for Nurses

I sat with a patient today watching her give medicine to a patient through a feeding tube directly to his stomach.

I was in awe...for the fact that the nurse knew exactly how to measure, and stick the syringe in the patient, but the fact that she did not once squirm, flinch, make faces, or say any awkward comments.

Stereotypically considered to be a "women's" profession, I clearly doubt any understanding of knowing this. Not only I have seen many male nurses (I know at least three off the top of my head who I consider to be family, and one who is family) who are good at what they do.  I have also seen many of the tasks that nurses do...many of which I would never ever categorize it as a "women's" chore.

To anyone reading this who is NOT a nurse or a med tech for that matter...

I dare you to try to clean up "foreign matter" off the ground.
I dare you to try to stick a needle into people over, and over, and over.
I dare you to not get freaked out by sticking your hand into the crotch of a 300lb patient to see if they have a pulse. 
I dare you to wash a stranger.
I dare you to convince a patient for a life-saving technique when not only the patient, but the patient's family says no.
I dare you to do chest compressions/CPR on a person by yourself for 10 min.
I dare you to try to put up with doctors, family members, and anyone else while still trying to keep a smile for the patient.

So thank you nurses in hospitals, ambulances, senior homes, military branches, homes, and other places.  Thank you for dealing with obnoxious patients.  Thank you for cheering us up when we don't want to go to the hospital.  Thank you for taking care of us, even if we do meet on bad circumstances.  Thank you for giving us meds when we need them, and running to our rescue, even if that means we need a pillow or a blanket.  Thank you for being there when we needed you most, even if that means bringing us back from the dead.