“Nurses are the heart of healthcare.”
These are the words of Donna Wilk Cardillo, RN, MA, CSP, FAAN, renowned as an author, blogger, and public speaker, and known as the Inspiration Nurse for her contributions to the profession.
While these words ring true 365 days a year, National Nurses Week is a special time to honor and celebrate these integral members of healthcare teams. This year, National Nurses Week takes place from Tuesday, May 6 through Monday, May 12.
The Power of Nurses
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has selected “The Power of Nurses” as the theme for National Nurses Week 2025, to highlight the resilience, expertise, and heart that nurses bring to their patients and communities. Other organizations shining a light on nurses at this time are:
• The International Council of Nurses (ICN) with a theme of “Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies” on International Nurses Day, May 12.
• The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) with a 2025 theme of “Courage to Soar.”
• The Association of Nursing Leadership (AOLN), whose theme this year is “Care, Lead, Inspire, Repeat.”
Also, during National Nurses Week, May 8 is designated as National Student Nurses Day and May 7 is National School Nurse Day.
The Mother of the Nursing Profession
National Nurses Week culminates on the May 12 birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is considered the mother of the nursing profession. Her work during the Crimean War, which raged from 1853 until 1856, paved the way for current nursing practices.
• The first National Nurse Week was observed in October 1954, marking the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. While a bill to make the week official was introduced to Congress, no action was taken, as lawmakers had recently discontinued the practice of joint resolutions for national weeks of any kind. It would take 18 years before another resolution, this time for National Registered Nurse Day, would be presented, again unsuccessfully.
• In 1974, a week was finally designated by the White House as National Nurse Week. Four years later, New Jersey Governor Brendon Byrne designated May 6 as Nurses Day.
• In 1981, ANA rallied with various other nursing organizations to have May 6 established as National Recognition Day for Nurses. The following year, President Reagan followed up on the earlier proclamation by President Nixon, so both the day and the week were formally declared.
• In 1993, the ANA designated May 6 through 12 as permanent dates to be observed in 1994 and in all subsequent years.
It comes as no surprise that Nightingale’s birthday (she was born 205 years ago, on May 12, 1820) marks the finale of each years National Nurses Week celebration. Today, it is a time for hospitals, clinics, other providers and facilities, as well as patients, family members, and the general public, to show their appreciation for nurses who have touched their lives.
Thank You!
PRN Consultants humbly acknowledges all you do as a nurse to better your patients and your community. Happy Nurses Week – and thank you for being at the heart of healthcare.
