National Nurse’s Month

Florence Nightingale, a pioneer of nursing, was born on May 12, 1820. In celebration of her 200th birthday, the World Health Organization declared 2020 the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife.” It’s now clear that nurses and health care providers of all kinds face extraordinary circumstances this year.

This year, National Nurse’s Week has been extended to the entire month of May! It will have four different themes, celebrated by week!

Week 1: May 1-9, 2020
Self Care
Start the month with mindful self-recognition. Focus on yours and others’ emotional and physical well-being by encouraging and challenging yourself, colleagues and friends to engage in healthier activities. Great resources here: https://www.aana.com/aana-covid-19-reso…/covid-19-well-being

Week 2: May 10-16, 2020
Recognition
Raise visibility of the critical work nurses do and foster greater understanding of the diversity of the nursing profession by honoring exemplary nurses and engaging with your community. Give a shout out to mentors and those who inspire you on social media. Write a note of appreciation. Send a gift card in gratitude. Put a flower with a note on their car windshield. They are our everyday superheros, and deserve to be recognized, especially now!

Week 3: May 17-23, 2020
Professional Development
Focus on how you can excel and lead in your nursing career or inspire and help others in their professional nursing journey.

“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives.” This quote, attributed to Florence Nightingale in the 1800’s, foreshadows the need for nurses to constantly learn and adapt to be key contributors in health care. This mandate has never been more important than it is today as nurses strive to meet the the challenges of COVID.

Week 4: May 24-31, 2020
Community Engagement
Help promote nurses’ invaluable contributions by engaging with your community, educating them on what nurses do, and encouraging future nurses. Think of how YOU can help the nurses in your community during this unprecedented time!