While you probably still have to work, it IS National Nurses Week here in the United States. The week coincides with the birth date of Florence Nightingale (May 12). Many consider Florence Nightingale to be the founder of moder-day nursing. National Nurses week dates back to 1953, when Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare proposed to President Eisenhower the idea. More than twenty years later, President Nixon proclaimed a “National Nurse Week.” What many people outside the healthcare industry don’t know, is that National Hospital Week (May 8-14) began when the editor of a magazine suggested that giving the public more information about hospitals might ease public fears about them.

National Nurses Week (May 6-12) and
National Hospital Week (May 8-14)

If you’re looking for something special to get that nurse in your life, there are places online to buy “nurse appreciation” items. Whether your a travel nurse or have been at your facility for decades, it’s always nice to feel appreciated. Happy National Nurses Week and Happy National Hospital Week from eJane!