Paradigm is proud to celebrate National Nurses Week once again! The theme for 2025, “The Power of Nurses™,” highlights the invaluable contributions of nurses and the real-life challenges they face. As an organization so deeply indebted to the dedication and compassion of our nurses, we know that the Paradigm mission to restore hope and ensure exceptional care management would not be possible without our unmatched team of nursing professionals.

This year’s celebration takes place May 6-12, and the American Nurses Association has a lineup of exciting activities planned, including the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation^® Wellness Challenge and a National Nurses Week Getaway Giveaway Sweepstakes with a $4,500 grand prize. Once again, cities around the United States will be lighting up skylines, landmarks, and participating hospitals to rally support and recognition for nurses.

Powering life-changing recoveries and advocating for each other
To do our part in showcasing the power of nurses, we’re proud to share stories of the incredible support our nurses provide to injured workers, families, partners, and each other. At Paradigm, we’re fortunate to have nurses at every level of our organization—from patient-facing case managers to supervisors, managers, and even members of our executive leadership team. No matter their role, they bring their clinical expertise, compassion, and a steadfast focus on advocacy to every decision, ensuring that those we serve remain at the heart of everything we do.

Here are some of the many bright spots that exemplify the extraordinary difference our nurses make every single day:

Aruna Rao-McCann, Network Manager
Aruna was recently assigned a particularly challenging case: a single parent whose life was completely upended by a traumatic workplace injury, including navigating her own recovery while caring for an ill child at home. The emotional and physical toll is immense—and yet, Aruna stepped in with compassion, calm, and unwavering dedication.

“I hate for anyone to have a traumatic injury like this, but you do an amazing job, and I am very happy with the work you are doing,” shared a client involved with the case. “Thank you for all you do in taking care of [injured worker] and keeping us all updated. I appreciate you and all that you do.”

Aruna’s role is more than just clinical—it’s deeply human—engaging with patients face-to-face, often absorbing the raw emotions that come with life-altering injuries. Throughout it all, Aruna remains a steady, compassionate presence, not just for the injured worker, but for everyone involved in the case. Thank you for everything you do.

Betsy Nelson, Telephonic Case Manager
We were honored to receive heartfelt recognition from a client praising the extraordinary efforts of Betsy Nelson, one of our dedicated Telephonic Case Managers and a former triage nurse. Betsy is credited with saving the life of a client’s employee after being inappropriately discharged—twice—from the emergency room following post-surgical complications.

Recognizing the seriousness of his symptoms, Betsy remained adamant that he needed urgent medical attention. The nearest suitable hospital was more than two hours away, and the employee had no working vehicle or support system to get there. Refusing to give up, Betsy went above and beyond, coordinating with a transport company to ensure he made it safely to a larger hospital—where he was admitted immediately.

The employer later shared, “I would go one further and state that Betsy saved him.”

Incredible work, Betsy. Your clinical intuition, persistence, and compassion made all the difference.

Leah Bayona, Case Manager, Network Manager
One of our client’s defense attorneys was recently speaking with a Paradigm employee about a separate case. Shortly after the call ended, the attorney called back—completely unsolicited—just to recognize Leah’s exceptional work managing one of their other cases.

She praised Leah for being proactive, thorough, and consistently communicative, noting that Leah stands out among the many case managers she works with on complex cases.

This kind of feedback speaks volumes—and so does Leah’s impact. Thank you, Leah, for going above and beyond. Your dedication truly represents The Power of Nurses™.

As our Paradigm colleague put it best:

“I thought it was special that she took the time to share this with me, and I want to make sure you hear it, too. Thanks for all of your great work—it is truly appreciated.”

Melissa Teninty, Network Manager
We recently received exceptional praise from a client recognizing Melissa’s outstanding work with our injured worker and their family. The adjuster on the case shared:

“Just wanted to send a quick thanks for everything you’ve done for this injured worker and his family. You did a great job leading the family through our call today and it’s clear how much trust and rapport you’ve built with his parents. Your empathy and compassion shine through in your interactions with the family and it’s comforting to know [they] have been in such good hands.”

It’s not just our clients who recognize Melissa’s excellence—our colleagues do, too! She’s often described as a “rockstar,” with one teammate saying, “Melissa is consistently terrific on cases. I wish we could clone her!”

Melissa, thank you for your unwavering dedication to high-quality care management and for the meaningful relationships you build with the injured workers and families we serve. We are grateful to have you on our team!

Thank you to our formidable and caring nurses
Paradigm is incredibly thankful for the unparalleled and powerful contributions of every single nurse on our team. Throughout the week, we invite you to engage with us through our social media channels by liking our posts and sharing them along with your own stories.

You can also learn more about the person-centered culture at Paradigm that has been recognized as a Best Workplace in Healthcare for three years in a row. We’re committed to helping nurses—and all employees—build successful, purpose-driven careers that change lives for the better.