Creating a memorable and meaningful Nurses Week 2023 celebration
It’s that time of the year again when the nursing profession is celebrated! From May 6 to 12, nurses from around the country get together in honor of the nursing profession. What is Nurses Week and how can nursing professionals have a meaningful celebration? We’ve rounded up some ideas for you!
What is Nurses Week and the significance of celebrating it?
While the nursing profession is given glory all month long in May, there is a week in this month when festivities are in full blast. National Nurses Week starts on May 6 and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, an iconic personality in the field of modern nursing.
What’s the story behind Nurses Week? It all began in 1953 when Dorothy Sutherland of the country’s Department of Health, Education, and Welfare proposed to celebrate Nurse Day in October. However, there was no formal proclamation for the said event.
When it was approved, it initially covered October 11 to 16. In 1993, the American Nurses Association moved Nurses Week to its current date from May 6 to 12. The last day of Nurses Week is also International Nurses Day.
Nurses Week, together with National Nurses Month and International Nurses Day, is held annually to bring the spotlight to the nursing profession which is often underappreciated. Aside from celebratory activities, nurses and nursing leaders also use these dates to shed light on struggles and challenges that nurses experience and come up with ways to address them.
Ideas for celebrating Nurses Week 2023 in an unforgettable way
Nurses have touched many lives through their kindness, compassion, and dedication to their work. They deserve appreciation all year round. However, it is also good to make Nurses Week memorable for them.
Organize a heartwarming yet fun event
Coming up with a gathering to celebrate National Nurses Week is a good idea. This can be done inside the hospital or medical facility when allowed or in your local community.
Have a short but meaningful program where you can also invite current and former patients, especially whose lives have been changed because of nurses. The program can include recognition of their hard work, dance and song presentations, exciting games, and of course, sharing of messages for the ultimate waterworks.
The event can also be a venue for nurses to let loose after working long shifts to monitor and care for patients.
Let a nursing-related hashtag trend
Hashtags are a great way to show collective action towards something, including displaying support and appreciation for something.
To make this important week for nurses unforgettable, start a hashtag campaign in your area. You can also check if there are existing hashtags being used nationwide and use them.
Publicly show your love for nurses by adding a heartfelt message or posting a photo or video with the hashtag. Invite others to join the virtual campaign and post a shout-out with the hashtag.
When the hashtag trends, it is sure to brighten up the day, or week rather, of nursing professionals.
Give perks and incentives during Nurses Week
Nurses deserve incentives for all that they do daily. While it does not need any occasion to show gratitude, giving rewards during Nurses Week can make the week-long festivities momentous.
Offer additional paid time off to the nurses in your team. Allot a budget in your medical institution every year for incentives to be given on National Nurses Week such as bonuses, gift certificates, restaurant vouchers, or even just more paid days off.
How to show gratitude & appreciation to nurses during the special week?
We cannot thank nurses enough for their commitment to their jobs. Here are some thoughtful ways to extend gratitude and appreciation during the special Nurses Week.
Give a practical yet personal gift
Nurses will appreciate presents that they can use daily.
Insulated cups and tumblers that can store both hot and cold beverages are a practical gift since nurses are always on the go. A personalized pouch also makes a great present as it can store their valuables.
Other useful items include drip coffee or tea bags, aesthetic yet roomy storage organizers, washable totes and bags, colorful and cute pens, and notebooks.
Food can also be a nice gift. Aside from food that the nursing team can share, you can also give small snacks that they can put in their pocket for that energy boost when needed.
Write a heartfelt letter
Actions speak louder than words but messages are powerful enough to keep someone going. Say thank you by penning a message for the nurses in your life.
Show how much they have impacted your life through the letter. Ask colleagues and patients to write messages for the nursing team in your medical facility, You can either have them create multiple letters or have a dedication book or board where they can write on and pass around.
Make a montage or collage
Another way to show appreciation is by creating a video montage or photo collage. Include clips and photos of them at work may they be busy or smiling at the camera. Capture memorable and candid moments and add them to your montage or collage.
An edited video or collage is a wonderful way to look back at their hard work in the past years and to celebrate camaraderie and team spirit within the medical facility.
The importance of recognizing and rewarding the performance of our nursing professionals
Though nursing is ranked as the top profession when it comes to ethics, it remains an often underappreciated and thankless job.
Nurses do not get enough credit for everything they put into their work. After all, they directly care for patients the moment they arrive at the medical facility, during their stay, and even after they check out. They do not only assess, provide treatment, and monitor — they also change lives.
It is important to give nurses the recognition and appreciation they deserve. They deserve all the love every day. National Nurses Week serves as a reminder of how honorable the nursing profession is.
Tips on planning a memorable event to honor our nursing staff
National Nurses Week should be a memorable week-long celebration for nurses. Take note of these tips to keep the week as enjoyable as possible.
Keep your nursing team in mind
What does your nursing staff like? While each nurse has individual likes, take into consideration what they enjoy collectively. Is there a particular food that is memorable to them? Do they like singing karaoke together or dancing?
Make it as fun as possible
Allow nurses to enjoy the special week. Organize many fun activities, albeit short ones spread throughout the week. This can be in the form of games or challenges that they can insert within work hours.
Stay organized
Preparations before the event matter as they make or break an event. Plan well your National Nurses Week celebration. Delegate tasks to different people and remind them of their deliverables and deadlines.
Celebrating Nurses Week 2023
Nurses deserve all the love and gratitude in the world. National Nurses Week is a great reminder for everyone to show their gratitude to nursing professionals. Games, food, incentives, and messages from the heart will surely make Nurses Week 2023 memorable.