The RN to BSN Program at NC Wesleyan University hopes for a brighter future in which we prepare to move forward in a changing world. Our faculty and students stand committed to help our community and we appreciate your compassion, your sacrifices and your bravery.

We are extremely proud of all nurses in our program and we thank you and honor you, during National Nurses Week and all year long.

When Is Nurses’ Week?

Nurses’ week is a worldwide annual celebration of nurses honoring them for the work they do for others and allows people the chance to acknowledge the nurses in their lives. Nurses’ week takes place in May of each year. May 12 is significant as it marks the revered Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

Join us as we celebrate nurses and help keep nurses emotionally engaged with their work to continue providing excellent care to their patients.

What Can You Do to Celebrate Nurses’ Week?

Here are a few ideas to honor the nurses:

Letting a nurse know they are appreciated goes a long way. Handwrite a letter or thank you note to express your gratitude and provide motivation to continue moving forward during difficult times.

Consider sending a gift to a nurse that has impacted you or your family and/or the facility or hospital you received care from. Making a video and sharing it on social media is a great way to thank nurses around the world.

The History of Nurses’ Week

Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower in 1953 to create an official nurse day. About 20 years later, President Nixon created a week in February 1974 to acknowledge the nursing profession. In 1978, New Jersey’s governor, Brendon Byrne, declared May 6 as National Nurses Day.

In 1981, there was an assassination attempt on President Reagan. He received care from a team of nurses who dislodge a bullet inches from his heart. After his recovery, Reagan tracked down the nurses and sent them words of encouragement and thank you notes.

In 1982, the Ronald Reagan signed an executive order making it official on May 6, 1982.

Furthermore, the International Nurse Council declared International Nurses Day on May 12 after Florence Nightingale. After a few years, the ANA determined that the profession needed an entire week of celebration.