National Nurses Week is celebrated each year from May 6th through the 12th. OSF Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Diabetes Education Coordinator Tina Canada shares how National Nurses Week came about:
“There has been a movement since the 1950s to have a national recognition day for nurses, but it didn’t actually happen until 1982 when President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation declaring May 6th National Nurses Day. Then the American Nurses Association expanded that to a weeklong celebration ending on May 12th, which is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. We celebrate every year from May 6th to May 12th.”
Each year a theme is tied to National Nurses Week and this year’s was Nurses: A Voice to Lead.