Hello, everyone. Welcome to the show.
I'm always honored to be on this show
and a part of this show,
but today is supremely exceptional for me
because today is a very special episode
because we're celebrating nurses
all show long.
(audience applauding)
And the best part is
our entire audience
is full of hardworking, selfless nurses,
so thank you for coming today.
Thank you.
Nurses are the ultimate drew-gooders
and that's why I am so excited to be teaming up
with Johnson & Johnson to honor them today,
that's what this show is.
They have supported the nursing profession
for 125 years.
Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of nurses
as well as championing their impact and innovation
in healthcare, because lifting nurses up
lifts us all up,
and today is for you and because of you.
So, our first guest not only cares for her patients
but for her fellow nurses.
There's nothing she doesn't do,
so please take a look at Tiana's story.
(melodious music)
Hi, my name is Tiana Morano.
I'm a wife and mom of two from Ronkonkoma, New York.
I've been a nurse for the past 12 years now.
I always knew that I wanted to get into the medical field.
My great aunt was a nurse in World War Two
and she started a first aid clinic
on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation where my dad grew up
and she inspired me to become a nurse.
I actually started a nursing program later in life, at 27,
and I graduated at 29.
I've had many jobs as a nurse,
I started on a medical surgical unit,
then I worked as a camp nurse,
and I worked as a school nurse taking care of kids.
This year, I was board certified
as a family nurse practitioner.
I currently work in a subacute rehab facility.
In 2013, I wanted to connect with other nurses
and give us all a sounding board, so a friend and I
created a Facebook group called Long Island Nurses.
It started growing more and more, and nurses actually
started getting recruited from the group for jobs.
When the pandemic hit, I started hearing awful stories
from the nurses on the page
who were working on the front line.
It was, and still is, a very hard time for us.
I know how hard we work, how we skip breaks,
how we work over time, so I knew that giving back to nurses,
especially during a pandemic,
was something that needed to be done,
just to give everybody a sense of community
and to keep going.
I turned the group into an official nonprofit
so I could continue giving back.
I've raised money for scholarships,
I've held fundraisers for nurses
and I've even put my own money in
to help nurses in the group.
In total, we've given away thousands of dollars
to Long Island Nurses.
We have 5,000 members right now
and I want to see it keep growing.
I'd love to have every single nurse on Long Island in there
if I could.
Nurses aren't appreciated the way they should be,
and it means so much to be able to give back to them.
I'm really proud of nurses and what they're doing right now
despite the challenges they are up against,
and I hope to be able to continue to support them all
because we are in this together.
(audience applauding)
Please welcome the incredible Tiana Morano.
(audience cheering)
Tiana, you get to see the direct effect of what you do,
and what is your hope for the future of Long Island Nurses?
In your dream scenario, where does this build and go to?
I just want it to expand.
I want to be able to reach every single nurse
on Long Island and beyond.
Nurses deserve to be uplifted,
they do so much for society,
they do so much for everybody
so they deserve something in return
and that's what I try to do.
And you've made such an impact
on those in the Long Island Nurses group, and guess what?
We have a few of them here today to surprise you,
so stand up everyone.
(audience applauding)
Hello, ladies.
(audience applauding)
All right, thank you ladies so much for being here
to support Tiana and promote the Long Island Nurses.
May I ask Holly
how it has been to be a part of Tiana's group?
How did it impact you?
So, I am a very proud school nurse on Long Island
and I came to find the group
right when the pandemic started
because I knew we were going to turn into a virtual format
and I wanted to figure out a way that I could contribute
when schools went virtual.
And within four days I was on the lines, doing swabbing
on the drive-throughs across Long Island,
and it made me so fulfilled, and not only that opportunity,
but then I kept networking with other members in the group
and I secured another position,
and I do telemedicine still to this day.
And the groups just so much offers a safe space
for professionals to come together,
and I just hope that you realize
the impact that you've made for me,
the impact that you've made for nurses on Long Island
far and wide, so thank you.
(audience applauding)
(audience cheering)
Well, thank you.
Holly, I really appreciate that sentiment.
That's the part of that motivation, you know?
How does that make you feel?
Well, it really touches my heart.
I mean, just to see people
that I'm actually affecting, nurses,
so it just really-
It completes me.
Can I do a little something for you, Tiana?
Yes. Come with me.
Okay.
(audience applauding)
(audience cheering)
For your kitchen, I'm personally gifting you
my entire Beautiful appliance and cookware line.
And I also recently,
if you don't mind we can come over here,
because I also recently launched Flower hair tools
and I want you to have them all
so that you can take care
of yourself.
I believe that beauty is on the inside,
but it is a feeling,
and if we can feel good
then that is also somewhat medicinal.
And so, for that reason, for your self care,
I am also sending you home with this entire huge selection
of make-up from the Flower beauty line.
Oh my God.
Now, those are the things that I make
and that I can contribute,
but to help Long Island Nurses continue to grow
our show is also going to donate $25,000
to the organization.
What?
Oh my God.
(indistinct)
But, I want to also thank our friends
because that's not all,
our friends at Johnson & Johnson
were so inspired by your work,
especially in your education,
they're going to donate $25,000
to the National Student Nurses Association
in honor of your organization
to help nurses continue their education,
and this is just a starting point.
We know there's so much more
that you need to get things done,
and J&J is committed
to partnering with the nursing community to see real change.
So, you can learn more about Johnson & Johnson
and supporting nurses at nursing.jnj.com
to join in and foster this ever so important community.
So, thank you, Tiana Morano,
thank you to the Long Island Nurses,
thank you to Johnson & Johnson,
and we will be right back.
(melodious music)