When most of us think about nurses, we picture hospital hallways, clinics, and exam rooms. That image is real, and nurses working in those settings deserve enormous respect for working on the front lines of health care.

But here is something many people do not realize. Some of the most important nursing work happens outside hospital walls. These nurses play a critical role in helping people stay healthier, avoid unnecessary complications, and reduce avoidable health care costs.

We see this every day.

It is a situation nurses encounter often: a member leaves the hospital with a discharge plan that looks fine on paper but does not reflect the reality of recovering at home. A nurse steps in to review medications, arrange in-home services, and shift follow-up visits to virtual care when travel is not realistic. The result is that recovery stays on track, care is not missed, and a hospital readmission is avoided.

That is a nursing story, even though it does not happen at the bedside.

Nursing across the health system

Nursing remains one of the most trusted professions because nurses combine clinical expertise with practical judgment and compassion, especially when people feel overwhelmed or uncertain.

At Medica, nurses serve in roles many consumers never see. They help coordinate care, review clinical information, partner with providers, and guide members through complex decisions. They work behind the scenes in care management, utilization review, quality oversight, and provider partnerships helping ensure care is appropriate, evidence-based, and coordinated.

While this work may not always be visible, its impact is very real.

As one nurse leader at Medica shared, nurses are trained to look at “the whole picture including clinical needs, safety, and what is realistic for a person’s life.” When care aligns with that reality, outcomes improve and unnecessary costs are avoided.

Why this matters for households and affordability

When people talk about health care costs, they often think about premiums or prices. But the costs families feel most sharply often come from breakdowns in care:

• missed follow-ups that turn into emergencies

• medication confusion that leads to complications

• poor coordination that results in repeated hospital visits

Nurses help prevent those breakdowns. By connecting the dots early after discharge, between appointments, or during major decisions, they help people avoid larger health crises later. That is better for your health, and it is essential for affordability.

A Nurses Week reflection

During National Nurses Week, we rightfully recognize nurses where we most often see them in hospitals and clinics. But it is also important to widen the lens.

The nurses many people do not see are the ones working behind the scenes, on the phone, and through digital tools that help connect services, clarify care plans, support safe recovery, and advocate for what is medically appropriate. Their work may be less visible, but it is no less essential.

These nurses are not only supporting individuals; they are helping the health care system function better for everyone.

— Andrew Marshall is Medica’s market president for Minnesota and the Dakotas.