Come November and National Nurses Week will be here to stay. It is a time for nurses all across the country to show their support for the health care system and to celebrate the work that nurses do every single day. It is also a time where nurses get to network with each other and share ideas on how nurses can continue to improve patient care through innovative and creative nursing practices.
When it comes to planning a celebration, you have many resources at your disposal. One of those resources is the Internet. There are many websites out there dedicated to hosting events such as parties, fundraisers, and lectures on various subjects including celebration ideas for nurses. There is no shortage of information on how you can throw a great party regardless if you want to host it yourself or hire a professional organization to handle everything.
The most important thing to remember about celebration ideas for nurses is that they should be fun and exciting for everyone who attends. If you turn it into a party with just a few nurses at it, then you will quickly discover that it will go downhill rather quickly. On the other hand, if you plan a large party that is filled with nurses from all over the country, then you have a better chance of success. What kind of activities are you going to have? What kind of decorations are you going to have?
These are questions that will need to be answered before you can successfully pull off a successful gathering. For instance, are you going to have a sit down meal or a combination of dinner and dancing? Will you serve appetizers or order in? What type of music will be played and who will be playing?
The Internet is filled with a wealth of information on everything from the best way to schedule activities to creating the perfect invitations. You will need to know what nurses from all over the country will be attending your gathering. Once you have that information you can begin to pull together your ideas. As with anything, a little research goes a long way.
Take the time to visit websites and forums dedicated to nursing and other healthcare professions. You will be surprised at the wealth of information you will find. There are also links to national organizations that offer some great celebration ideas for nurses. Check them out!
National Nurses Week History
National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year.
The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1896. Each of ANA’s state and territorial nurses associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels. Each conducts celebrations on these dates to recognize the contributions that nurses and nursing make to the community.
The ANA supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.
A Brief History of National Nurses Week
1953 Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a “Nurse Day” in October of the following year. The proclamation was never made.
1954 National Nurse Week was observed from October 11 – 16. The year of the observance marked the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. Representative Frances P. Bolton sponsored the bill for a nurse week. Apparently, a bill for a National Nurse Week was introduced in the 1955 Congress, but no action was taken. Congress discontinued its practice of joint resolutions for national weeks of various kinds.
1972 Again a resolution was presented by the House of Representatives for the President to proclaim “National Registered Nurse Day.” It did not occur.
1974 In January of that year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) proclaimed that May 12 would be “International Nurse Day.” (May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale.) Since 1965, the ICN has celebrated “International Nurse Day.”
1974 In February of that year, a week was designated by the White House as National Nurse Week, and President Nixon issued a proclamation.
1978 New Jersey Governor Brendon Byrne declared May 6 as “Nurses Day.” Edward Scanlan, of Red Bank, N.J., took up the cause to perpetuate the recognition of nurses in his state. Mr. Scanlan had this date listed in Chase’s Calendar of Annual Events. He promoted the celebration on his own.
1981 ANA, along with various nursing organizations, rallied to support a resolution initiated by nurses in New Mexico, through their Congressman, Manuel Lujan, to have May 6, 1982, established as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.”
1982 In February, the ANA Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as “National Nurses Day.” The action affirmed a joint resolution of the United States Congress designating May 6 as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.”
1982 President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on March 25, proclaiming “National Recognition Day for Nurses” to be May 6, 1982.
1990 The ANA Board of Directors expanded the recognition of nurses to a week-long celebration, declaring May 6 – 12, 1991, as National Nurses Week.
1993 The ANA Board of Directors designated May 6 – 12 as permanent dates to observe National Nurses Week in 1994 and in all subsequent years.
1996 The ANA initiated “National RN Recognition Day” on May 6, 1996, to honor the nation’s indispensable registered nurses for their tireless commitment 365 days a year. The ANA encourages its state and territorial nurses associations and other organizations to acknowledge May 6, 1996 as “National RN Recognition Day.”
1997 The ANA Board of Directors, at the request of the National Student Nurses Association, designated May 8 as National Student Nurses Day.
