National Nurses Week 2023

Supported by the American Nurses Association, National Nurses Week celebrates nurses and their role in society. The week also helps to raise awareness about nursing as a possible career choice and also to educate the public about the kind of work nurses are involved in.

To coincide with Florence Nightingale's birthday (12th of May), National Nurses Week begins on the 6th of May and finishes on the 12th of May each year. National Student Nurses Week also coincides with National Student Nurses Day which is on the 8th of May each year.

The week celebrates the legacy of Florence Nightingale, a nurse who became famous for treating wounded soldiers during the Crimean war, and for her work in establishing nursing as a profession in its own right. Florence was affectionately known as 'The Lady With The Lamp'; she made a lot of her ward rounds at night whilst carrying a lamp. Florence Nightingale founded a nursing school in 1860, providing the first type of professional nursing establishment in the world.

The American Nurses Association (ANA), sponsors of National Nurses Week, have promoted and supported the nursing profession since 1896.

Each year they typically have a theme for the week. For example, in 2012, the theme was 'Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring'. The American Nurses Association have designed a new logo which people and organizations can use to celebrate this event and have created a Media Kit for the press.

Suggestions on how to celebrate National Nurses Week include:

• submitting an article to the local press about this event and the important role nurses have in our society.

• purchasing merchandise such as key rings, t-shirts, buttons, mugs which promote National Nurses Week.
• offer free blood pressure and/or cholesterol screening in your community.
• Organize a sponsored activity such as a walk or run with the proceeds going to a local charity.
• Invite a local politician to shadow a nurse for a day and ask the local press to cover the event.