Happy National Nurses Day | May 6 | From Nightingale Til Now

Happy National Nurses Day! Thank you. On this day, we raise awareness of all nurse contributions and commitments and acknowledge the vital role nurses play in society. This day is also the first day of National Nurses Week and is sometimes known as National RN Recognition Day.

At the end of the 19th century, Florence Nightingale founded modern nursing. Thanks to her strict use of hand-washing and hygiene practices while caring for wounded soldiers in the Crimean War, Nightingale and her helpers reduced the death rate from 42% to just 2% — ushering in nursing as we know it today. On May 6, we recognize the important role nurses play in our lives by celebrating National Nurses Day.

In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower asking him to proclaim a “Nurse Day” in October of the following year to coincide with the anniversary. Although the President didn’t act, the celebration was observed thanks to a bill sponsored by Representative Frances P. Bolton, and the following year a new bill was introduced to Congress lobbying for official recognition of the celebration.

Twenty years later, in February of 1974, President Nixon proclaimed a National Nurse Week to be celebrated annually in May. Over the next eight years, various nursing organizations including the American Nurses Association (ANA) rallied to support calls for a “National Recognition Day for Nurses” on May 6, which was eventually proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1982.

With over 3 million working nurses in the US today, nurses make up the highest percentage of the US healthcare workforce. Although you might not imagine it, nurses are more likely to sustain a back injury on a shift than construction workers, and they walk an average of 5 kilometers per shift, as caring for others’ health is such an active job!

If you think nurses are only found in hospitals, then think again! The majority of registered nurses (59%) practice elsewhere, such as in a nursing home or on home visits. They work across communities to keep people worldwide happy and healthy, and National Nurses Day is the perfect opportunity to show your appreciation for their important work!

Did you know?

In 268 BC, the Buddhist Indian ruler Ashoka ordered hospitals to be built along the routes of travelers. Upon further investigation, it turns out he built the hospitals for his invading armies, but still, the gesture was nice.

In October of 1853, Florence Nightingale would be released on the troops, saving hundreds of lives. She bravely entered the Crimean war zone and single handedly created the blueprint for modern day nursing.

In 1873, Linda Richards, attended Bellevue Training School before traveling to London to train under Nightingale at her School of Nursing. She brought back Nightingale's techniques and redefined nursing in America.

It was on May 6, 1982 that President Reagan would proclaim National Nurses Day an official American National Holiday.

Always playing a big role in hospitals, the nursing staff is loved and appreciated on National Nurses Day. The most common tradition for expressing gratitude to registered nurses is throwing them a party — inclusive of all shifts. The celebration is hosted by the medical faculty and staff, with some even having fun decorations and nurse-themed cookies and cupcakes.

00:00 Intro
00:09 A quick story about modern nursing
00:28 What is National Nurses Day?
01:17 Did you know?
02:00 Celebrate National Nurses Day
02:12 OH NO!
02:30 Thank a nurse

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