National Nurses Week is celebrated every year annually from May 6 to May 12. This celebration is tribute to the nurses for the role they play in betterment of society by delivering the utmost level of quality care to the patients.
According to the ANA (American Nurses Association) nursing is the largest occupation in health care and without say nurses are an integral part of every healthcare organization including hospitals, clinics and other patient care centers.
A Brief History of National Nurses Week
This week was born out of the idea to honor the contribution nurses make to the field of health care and overall community. In the year 1981, ANA along with other nursing organizations backed a resolution to establish May 6, 1982 as ‘National Recognition Day for Nurses’, the following year this date was formally recognized as National Nurses Day. Further, in 1991, the recognition of nurses was expanded to a week long celebration such as May 6 to 12 as the permanent dates to acknowledge the untiring work and strong commitment nurses display in their profession.
So, if you want to make nurses feel special and valued here are some activities suggested by ANA for celebration of National Nurses Week.
- In your hospital, clinic or healthcare organization, plan a special lunch, dinner, free workplace meal, or get-together for nurses.
- Planning a health fair or a free health survey, conducting preventative screenings in distant or underserved locations will benefit society along with promoting a positive image of nursing.
- Nominate a commendable nurse in your hospital or medical facility by recognizing her with special award, plaques or certificate.
- Voluntarily visit schools, colleges and other institutions to make students aware about role of nurses in healthcare today and career opportunities ahead. Giving a small presentation or showing a video will be fun and certainly a great way to educate students.
These minor initiatives show expressions of care and are a good way to celebrate and honor nurses during Nurses Week.
Have a Happy Nurses Week!
