National Nurses Week – Rooted in Strength
"Nurses are rooted in strength, forged in fire, and growing in power." These words, spoken by Beth Wathen, President of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, convey an important message. Four-million strong, America’s nurses make up the largest percentage of healthcare workers. They perform some of the most vital and difficult tasks in the medical world—practicing in diverse settings, from major trauma centers and research institutions to rural clinics and disaster zones.
National Nurses Week (May 6-12) honors these dedicated medical professionals for their essential, often life-saving work. This annual celebration allows us to acknowledge the nurses in our lives and to help strengthen the health systems around them.
While National Nurses Week aims to honor all nurses, there are individual days designated to recognize specific areas of the profession. For example, May 8 is National Student Nurses Day and May 11 is National School Nurse Day. The event concludes on May 12 with International Nurses Day to celebrate the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
Nursing Past and Present
In the late 19th century, Florence Nightingale pioneered strict hand-washing and hygienic practices while caring for wounded soldiers in the Crimean War under deplorable conditions. She and her assistants reduced the death rate from 42 percent to 2 percent. Nightingale went on to train the first nurses and usher in the era of modern nursing.
Today, nurses are key members and leaders in the care delivery system. They manage patients, teach and advocate, and work for better health policies and systems. Dynarex offers a robust selection of premium medical supplies to support nurses in their vital work, including staff apparel and accessories such as nurses’ caps, surgical gowns, and shoe covers—and a full range of infection control and PPE offerings, including N95 masks, face shields, and gloves.
Showing Our Appreciation
While one week is not enough to recognize nurses and the vital work they perform, we can begin by taking simple steps to express our appreciation. Here are a few ideas:
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Give thanks in person: Even a simple "thank you for all you do" can make a nurse's day by showing that their hard work is noticed and appreciated. |
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Write it out: Handwrite a letter to express your gratitude for a nurse who’s touched your life. |
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Host a luncheon or other public celebration for nurses who’ve gone above the call of duty. |
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Recognize the efforts of nurses by profiling them in newsletters and local media. |
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Promote local, regional, and national awards that honor the exceptional work of individual nurses and nursing teams. |
National Nurse’s Week gives us the opportunity to show our gratitude for the nurses in our lives, and for the nursing profession as a whole. We can take this week as a reminder to continue to honor and support these outstanding professionals as they work at the frontline of patient care and impact us at every stage of life.
Dynarex offers a full selection of premium staff apparel and infection control supplies to keep nurses and other medical professionals equipped with the high-quality medical products they need to provide quality care. Explore our full line of high-quality medical products here.
