A Letter from Cami Peterson-DeVries, MNORN President

Dear MNORN Members,

Today, our nursing community is grieving. We have lost a fellow registered nurse to an act of violence connected to immigration enforcement. Regardless of where each of us stands on the issues surrounding this moment, the loss of a nurse, a caregiver, a colleague, a human being cuts us deeply.

This message is not about politics. It is about mourning a life taken too soon and honoring the calling we all share.

As nurses, we understand loss in a way others may not understand. We know how quickly life can change, how fragile safety can feel, and how pain reaches far beyond one individual to families, coworkers, patients, and communities. When one nurse is lost, all of us feel it.

In moments like this, our professional values guide us. We lead with compassion. We hold space for grief. We speak with care. We respect one another, even when perspectives differ. And we remember that at the center of this tragedy is a human life and a nurse who chose a profession devoted to healing.

Please be gentle with yourselves and with one another in the days ahead. Check in on each other. Allow room for sorrow, confusion, and reflection. If you are struggling please reach out, no one needs or should carry this alone.

On behalf of the Minnesota Organization of Registered Nurses, we extend our deepest sympathy to the nurse’s family, friends, coworkers, and all who are grieving this loss. We honor their life by continuing to practice nursing with integrity, compassion, and respect for every human being.

Thank you for the way you continue to show up for your patients, your colleagues, and one another especially on days like this, when it can be so hard.

With care and solidarity,
Cami Peterson-DeVries, MNORN President