President George H.W. Bush signed a proclamation in 1991 declaring National Nurses Week as starting on May 6 and ending on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Each year, it’s a time set aside to honor the myriad contributions of nurses and recognize the invaluable roles they play.
National Nurses Week Celebration Tips
Celebrate in Style
What is your organization doing to celebrate National Nurses Week 2024? Here are some suggestions:
- Gifts: How about a sleep mask to help your busy nurses get the rest they need? Or a gift card at a local coffee or other shop? Gift bags are fun, too. Whichever you choose, be sure to include a personalized card and present your gift with a sincere handshake and “thank you, (nurse’s name).”
- Catered meals: Find a balance between healthy food and people’s favorite treats, and cater meals on all shifts during National Nurses Week. Decorate a break or conference room for this purpose, including a prominent congratulatory/thank you banner.
- Parties: Host a barbecue, ice cream social, or similar event off-site and invite nurses and their families. Themed activities during your party will make it even more memorable.
- Patient appreciation messages: Encourage patients to use your online portal to send messages of appreciation to their nurses. Of course, you can also post handwritten messages on bulletin boards. If you have an in-house closed-circuit TV, use this media as well.
- A health fair: Nurses dedicate themselves to keeping others healthy, so help ensure they’re doing the same for themselves. Hold a health fair offering blood pressure and other screenings. Have relaxation stations, including massages, which can be the perfect way to relieve stress.
- Nurse meetups: Organize hobby and interest group meetups at nearby hotspots. These give nurses with similar interests a chance to get together and meet more people both within and outside their own clinical departments.
Why It Matters
Nurses do incredible work every day. Sharing their successes and acknowledging them for it is a vital investment, not only during National Nurses Week but all year long. Reasons to prioritize this ongoing initiative include:
- Prevention of burnout: If nurses feel seen for their work and appreciated for their contributions, they are less likely to feel they need to “prove themselves” by working longer hours or opting not to take time off.
- Staff retention: In addition to the financial cost of nursing staff turnover, there are significant negative effects on morale and, ultimately, retention. One report shows that companies with cultures of recognition have 31 percent less turnover.
- Improved safety: A Gallup study shows that employee engagement directly impacts the number of accidents on the job, as people are more likely to follow safety protocols. The results also include a 15 percent increase in patient safety when a healthcare team is highly engaged.
Have a Great National Nurses Week Celebration!
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