Around The Clock, Around the Corner: The Impact of DakotAbilities' Nursing Team

National Nurses Week | 5.6.2026 – 5.12.2026

Every year, National Nurses Week is observed May 6–12, a tradition that dates back to 1954, when the U.S. first formally recognized nursing as a profession worthy of national celebration. The week culminates on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the pioneering nurse whose compassion and commitment to care transformed modern medicine. It's a fitting tribute to a field built on exactly those qualities.

At DakotAbilities, National Nurses Week carries special meaning. Skilled nursing care sets us apart from other Community Support Providers, and it's the cornerstone of what we do. For the individuals we support, having access to that level of clinical expertise isn't just a benefit; it's what makes truly integrated, person-centered care possible. This week, we're proud to honor the nurses who bring that care to life every day.

More Than a Medical Role

Our nursing team doesn't wait for emergencies. They are woven into the daily rhythm of the people we support, anticipating needs before they become crises and delivering care that honors the full humanity of each person. For the people at DakotAbilities — many of whom rely on complex medical equipment and specialized interventions every day — that presence isn't a luxury. It's everything.

DakotAbilities maintains eight full-time nurses: five Registered Nurses (RNs) and three Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), one of whom is currently pursuing her RN licensure. Three part-time on-call nurses round out the team for unexpected situations. This depth of staffing is a deliberate investment in the people we support.

Longfellow Center: A Hub of Daily Care

At Longfellow Center, the home of our Meaningful Day program, three nurses work in rotating shifts five days a week, ensuring continuity throughout the day. A second nurse joins the team during daytime hours, reinforcing skilled clinical support when activity and care needs are at their peak. Two dedicated appointment staff members manage 8 to 17 appointments per day — and our nurses actively assist with those appointments, ensuring each medical visit is a supported, meaningful experience.

Every person who sees a specialist or outside provider doesn't navigate that experience alone. A DakotAbilities nurse is there — familiar with their history, fluent in their needs, and ready to help them advocate on their own behalf.

Overnight, Every Night

At DakotAbilities, our commitment to 24/7 care is most evident in the home of 16 people with complex medical needs. Our nurses provide round-the-clock coverage to those whose need for care never pauses — catheter concerns, feeding tube management, medical assessments, ER accompaniment, and acute care situations that can arise at any hour.

Medical complexity doesn't keep business hours. A feeding tube issue doesn't wait until morning. At DakotAbilities, the need for skilled clinical judgment — in the middle of the afternoon or the middle of the night — is consistently met.

The Complexity Behind the Care

At Longfellow, our nurses manage care involving ostomies, catheters, feeding tubes, nebulizers, oxygen systems, CPAP and BiPAP machines, and pacemakers. This same level of skilled support extends into the home where people with complex medical needs live. Nurses are also available to consult with Direct Support Professionals working in all of our homes throughout Sioux Falls. Nurses also perform daily catheter flushes, provide tracheostomy care, and manage insulin administration. Each intervention requires precision and specialized training.

Many of the people DakotAbilities supports would not be able to live in home and community-based settings without this level of nursing expertise. Our nursing program is what makes the DakotAbilities model possible.

Beyond direct care, our nurses also provide OMA (Oral Medication Administration) training to direct support staff — building clinical confidence throughout the organization, not just within the nursing team.

A Team Worth Celebrating

A nursing career at DakotAbilities is a different kind of experience — and a deeply meaningful one. Rather than rotating through patients on a floor, our nurses build relationships over the course of people's lives. They know the individuals they support in ways that go far beyond what a chart can capture. That familiarity matters enormously, especially for those who are non-verbal. Subtle changes in behavior, appetite, or energy that might otherwise be missed are things our nurses recognize and act on immediately.

That clinical attentiveness is what allows people with complex medical needs to live in comfortable home settings rather than in costly nursing homes. It's what keeps health concerns from becoming hospitalizations. It's what makes their lives in the community not just possible, but sustainable.

To all of our nurses, we thank you for the top-level care and compassion you provide night and day. The people supported at DakotAbilities are healthier and safer because of you.

DakotAbilities is committed to providing exceptional, person-centered support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the Sioux Falls area.