The Florida Department of Health in Orange County wishes to celebrate and thank Florida nurses during National Nurses Week.

Florida's more than 600,000 nursing professionals work every day to provide high quality care in a variety of settings from hospitals to doctors' offices to county health departments and schools.

"Nurses are a national treasure. This is especially true for our public health nurses in Orange County, which has a great need for their special expertise," said Dr. Kevin M. Sherin, Director of the Department of Health in Orange County.

Nursing is a huge part of the public health workforce and the training nurses receive in school gives them the skills needed to successfully improve public health. Public health nurses work with individuals, families and communities as a whole to prevent disease and promote the overall health of the area. They work in clinics to provide immunizations, conduct testing for diseases and infections, help people manage chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma and help people achieve a healthy lifestyle. Public health nurses also help communities prepare for natural disasters and assist in disaster relief efforts. Public health nurses are on the front lines every day in their communities and they are the backbone of public health.