National Nurses Week celebrates health care workers for their life saving work, even more so after two years of the pandemic. However, protests from across the country are continuing to unfold to argue challenges nurses face every day.

Local nurses tell 21 News they see issues daily as the healthcare field drastically evolves. 

On Thursday evening, a select few of retiring Mahoning Valley nurses were honored at the "Nurses Make a Difference" banquet in Downtown Youngstown.

"This is a celebration of nurses and what we do all year long," said Laurie Hornberger, Nursing Supervisor. "This week is for us."

170 miles southwest in Columbus and across the nation, hundreds of nurses protested for a lighter workload, more pay, more time-off and feeling valued.

"It scares me for where healthcare's going when they're more worried about the budget than they are about the patient," said one protestor in Columbus on Thursday.

Mahoning Valley nurses 21 News spoke with Thursday said the main concerns they see are staffing and worker burnout.

"Not only do we have a shortage of nursing prior to the pandemic, it has increased because of the number of patients that we see," Hornberger added.

A McKinsey and Company survey shows 30% of RNs across the country could leave the business. Plus, there's concern with not enough people becoming nurses to fill those roles.

"I see that. I see that actually happening," Hornberger added. "You have new nurses that are starting and with such burnout and stretching your staff so much. They're seeing the worst."

Nurses at Wednesday's tree planting ceremony at St. Elizabeth's said the pandemic provided uncertainty but they're steadfast loyalty to the profession truly shined.

"Over the last two years and going through a pandemic, we have blossomed," said Stacie Call, Chief Nursing Officer with Mercy Health. "Even though there were times we felt like we weren't growing, we weren't making change. But, we have continued to blossom."

Local nurses told 21 News hospitals need to improve the nurse to patient ratio and retaining employees at the facilities they're in.

"If we paid those nurses a higher wage throughout, they would stay at those facilities and they'd be able to have a continuous of care," Hornberger said. 

Several local hospitals are actively hiring including Mercy Health, Akron Children's, and Salem Regional Medical Center.