Nurses are some of the most hardworking professionals in healthcare.
From the moment they begin their scheduled shifts, they commit to taking care of the health of patients in need. Fortunately, many nurses report being moderately or extremely satisfied with their jobs. However, nurses must be more resilient than ever due to growing staff shortages and the stress that can result from a facility being understaffed.
National Nurses Week is a chance to recognize all that nurses do—because it's a lot!
Every year, National Nurses Week begins on May 6th and ends on May 12th. This week is a time to honor and celebrate nurses' daily contributions and sacrifices.
Healthcare facilities and nurse managers alike can use this week to honor the invaluable contributions of nurses by organizing activities and events that spotlight their work.
Related: Learn about how Nursa is celebrating Nurses Appreciation Week with giveaways, awards, and more!
Keep reading for a few meaningful ways to honor and appreciate the dedicated nurses who help make safer and healthier communities.
When Is Nurses' Day?
International Nurse Day, or National Nurses Day, was founded to recognize the tremendous contributions of Florence Nightingale, a nurse from the 1800s who is renowned for her pioneering work during the Crimean War. The International Council of Nurses promoted Nurse's Day in 1974 on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday.
When Is Nurse's Week?
Years later, The American Nurses Association (ANA) officially extended Nurse's Day to a week-long observance, May 6th through 12th, that occurs during the second week of May and ends on Florence Nightingale's birthday. National Nurses Week is now celebrated nationwide to honor nurses' contributions to their communities.
In 1988, the ANA promoted the National Student Nurses Day to recognize student nurses. Furthermore, in 2003, the ANA designated the National School Nurse Day every Wednesday during Nurse's Week.
How Can Facilities Honor Nurses on Nurses Week?
Getting into the spirit of National Nurses Week is easy. This important week is about making nurses feel seen and appreciated for all their hard work. Facilities can recognize the high standard of care nurses give their communities through gifts, gestures, or simply telling a nurse "Thank You."
Here are some examples of how medical facilities can demonstrate to their nurses how important they are to the healthcare team:
Nurse Gift Basket
A happy nurses' week can start with thoughtful and valuable gifts for nurses. For example, a nurse gift basket with a lanyard, a badge reel, or a high-quality pen is a considerate and convenient gift for nurses. To spice things up, a nurse gift basket may include chocolate, candy, or a nurse's favorite coffee selection. You can also personalize a gift basket to recognize different nursing specialties, such as pediatrics or labor and delivery, and include thoughtful gifts to keep a nurse comfortable.
Host a Work Celebration
Healthcare facilities and nurse managers can celebrate their nursing team by hosting various activities. The following are a few easy yet imaginative ways to spread the word and honor nurses' contributions at work:
- Host a breakroom buffet by providing refreshments, food, or snacks for nurses to enjoy during their breaks.
- Send out an e-mail thanking the entire nursing team for their hard work.
- Create a wall of thanks with pictures of each nursing team member recognizing their unique contributions and years at the facility.
- Hand out gift certificates for local coffee shops, spas, or grocery stores.
- Write a personalized note for each nurse, thanking them for their dedication to their profession.
Give a Social Media Shoutout
Everyone is on their social media platform of choice these days, including nurses. Therefore, an excellent way for a healthcare facility to show appreciation for its nurses is to give them a shoutout on social media. A social media shoutout to honor nurses can spotlight a nurse on a different day during National Nurses Week. A healthcare facility could upload a picture of a nurse, explain their role, and provide a short description of a nurse's accomplishments and achievements. Later, community followers can share the photo from the facility page, and the nurse can share it with their individual following. Shoutouts on social media provide a fun way to express gratitude to nursing staff, as well as helping to boost audience engagement for a facility.
Have a Happy Nurse's Week
Saying "thank you" to a nurse for their unwavering dedication is a simple gesture that goes a long way. So, while gifts for nurses are great, thoughtful words are too. Likewise, showing appreciation for a nurse can extend beyond National Nurses Week.
As National Nurses Week approaches, hospitals, medical settings, and other healthcare facilities should strategize a few gifts or activities that can contribute to a happy nurse's week. After all, nurses make the world a healthy and happy place to live; they deserve all the appreciation this week.
Is your facility short-staffed? Show your nurses you care by hiring per diem nurses to pick up the gaps in coverage and alleviate the workload of your nursing team.
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