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National Nurses Week, running from May 12 to 18, 2025, is the perfect time to celebrate the incredible work nurses do every day. Kicking off on International Nurses Day, May 12, it’s a chance to recognize the more than 4.7 million registered nurses in the U.S. — the largest group of healthcare professionals in the country.
These healthcare heroes show up with dedication, compassion, and skill, making a difference in countless lives. This week, take a moment to show your appreciation for the nurses who go above and beyond for their patients and communities.
When is National Nurses Week 2025?
National Nurses Week is from May 12 to 18, 2025. This year’s theme, “The Power of Nurses to Transform Health,” is about celebrating how nurses improve healthcare, spark innovation, and put patients first.
When is International Nurses Day 2025?
International Nurses Day is Monday, May 12, 2025, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
Why is it important to celebrate National Nurses Week?
It is important to celebrate National Nurses Week because it recognizes the invaluable contributions and dedication of nurses in healthcare. This week is a perfect opportunity to make nurses feel valued and appreciated for their hard work and dedication, whether it’s with special recognition, like reward points or a heartfelt “thank you” from colleagues and managers.
How healthcare administrators can use this week to celebrate and motivate
Healthcare administrators can use National Nurses Week as a powerful platform to celebrate and motivate nurses in many ways, including:
- Recognition awards: Present nurses with awards or certificates acknowledging their outstanding contributions and dedication.
- Appreciation events: Organize dedicated events or luncheons to honor nurses and create a sense of camaraderie among the team.
- Personal thank-you notes: Take the time to write heartfelt, personalized thank-you notes. This gesture of gratitude and recognition for individual nurses’ hard work can make a significant impact.
- Professional development opportunities: Offer workshops or training sessions to help nurses enhance their skills and professional growth.
- Wellness initiatives: Implement wellness programs or activities focused on nurses’ physical and mental well-being to show you care about their health.
How do you say thank you for nurses’ week?
Celebrate Nurses Week by expressing heartfelt gratitude for their dedication and compassion. Simple gestures like personalized thank-you cards, catered meals, or small gifts can go a long way. Publicly recognizing nurses through social media, team meetings, or hospital announcements also highlights their vital role.
For lasting impact, implement continuous recognition programs, ensuring nurses feel appreciated year-round. With platforms like Achievers, you can easily celebrate their hard work, boost morale, and enhance patient care through ongoing appreciation.
40 creative ideas for National Nurses Week
Nurses deserve recognition for their tireless dedication and compassion. To help you make their week special, we’ve curated a list of 20 creative ideas you can use to help celebrate them:
- Thank-you cards: Encourage patients and their families to write heartfelt thank-you notes for nurses.
- Personalized scrubs: Organize a scrub decorating station where nurses can personalize their scrubs with fun patches or embroidery.
- Wellness workshops: Offer workshops on stress management, mindfulness, or yoga to help nurses relax and recharge.
- Massage day: Arrange for massage therapists to provide relaxing massages for nurses during their breaks.
- Coffee and snack bar: Set up a coffee and snack bar with coffee, tea, and healthy snacks to keep nurses energized.
- Photo booth: Create a photo booth with fun props and backdrops for nurses to take memorable photos with colleagues.
- Spa day: Treat nurses to a day at a local spa with massages, facials, and other pampering treatments.
- DIY craft station: Set up a DIY craft station where nurses or patients can create personalized gifts or decorations for their workspace.
- Team-building activities: Organize team-building activities like scavenger hunts or trivia games to foster camaraderie among nurses.
- Catered lunch: Arrange for catered lunches from local restaurants or food trucks to provide a special meal for nurses.
- Live music: Invite local musicians to perform live music during breaks to lift spirits and create a festive atmosphere.
- Self-care gift baskets: Create themed gift baskets filled with goodies like candles, chocolates, and spa products for nurses to enjoy.
- Educational workshops: Offer continuing education workshops or seminars on topics relevant to nursing practice.
- Outdoor activities: Plan outdoor activities like picnic lunches or nature walks to provide a refreshing break from work.
- Art therapy: Host an art therapy session where nurses can express themselves creatively through painting or drawing.
- Pet therapy: Arrange for therapy animals to visit the hospital or clinic, providing stress relief and joy for nurses.
- Cooking class: Organize a cooking class or demonstration with a local chef to teach nurses new recipes and cooking techniques.
- Book exchange: Set up a book exchange where nurses can swap books and share their favorite reads.
- Virtual appreciation wall: Create a virtual appreciation wall where patients and colleagues can leave messages of thanks and support for nurses.
- Personalized awards: Present personalized awards or certificates recognizing nurses for their achievements and contributions to patient care.
- Gratitude video montage: Compile video messages from patients, families, and staff expressing appreciation for the nurses.
- Customized water bottles: Gift nurses personalized water bottles with their names or motivational quotes.
- Handwritten note station: Set up a station where colleagues can write quick, heartfelt notes to their nursing team.
- Relaxation room: Create a temporary relaxation space with comfy chairs, soft lighting, and calming music.
- Healthy meal prep kits: Provide meal prep kits with fresh ingredients and easy recipes for quick, healthy meals.
- Goodie grab bags: Distribute surprise grab bags filled with snacks, self-care items, and fun trinkets.
- Gratitude wall: Set up a physical wall where staff and patients can post sticky notes of thanks.
- Themed dress-up day: Host a fun-themed dress-up day (e.g., superhero day) to celebrate nurses as everyday heroes.
- Inspirational guest speaker: Invite a motivational speaker to boost morale and share uplifting stories.
- Morning yoga/stretch sessions: Offer quick morning stretch or yoga sessions before shifts.
- Creative lunch-and-learns: Combine a delicious meal with a short, fun, or educational presentation.
- Digital gift cards: Send digital gift cards for coffee shops, restaurants, or online stores.
- Memory jar: Create a jar where nurses can drop in their favorite moments or patient stories to read later.
- Ice cream social: Host an ice cream bar with various toppings for a sweet treat during breaks.
- Personalized tote bags: Gift tote bags with nurses’ names and encouraging messages.
- Fitness challenge: Start a fun, non-competitive step or wellness challenge with small prizes.
- Desk plant giveaway: Give nurses small potted plants to brighten their workspaces.
- Thank-you parade: Organize a mini parade with balloons, signs, and cheers to honor the nursing staff.
- Customized phone grips: Provide phone grips or stands with fun designs or hospital logos.
- Self-care kits: Hand out kits with items like lip balm, hand lotion, tea bags, and cozy socks.
Ensuring participation: Engaging staff and patients in the celebration
Ensuring the participation and engagement of staff and patients during the celebration of National Nurses Week requires creating inclusive and meaningful activities that everyone can enjoy. Here are some strategies and examples to foster employee engagement:
- Inclusive planning: Involve staff in the planning process by forming a committee or seeking their input on activity ideas. When staff have a say in the planning, they are more likely to be invested in the celebration.
- Flexible scheduling: Consider scheduling celebration activities during different shifts or times of the day to accommodate varying work schedules. This ensures all staff have a chance to take part.
- Feedback and communication: Regularly communicate updates and information about National Nurses Week celebrations through staff meetings, emails, or bulletin boards. Keeping staff informed can increase their interest and participation.
- Incentives and rewards: Offer incentives or rewards for staff who actively take part in National Nurses Week activities. This can be in the form of small gifts, extra break time, or recognition in front of peers.
- Virtual options: If some staff members or patients cannot be physically present, consider offering virtual participation options through live streaming or online activities. This ensures that everyone can be involved, regardless of their location.
Leveraging Nurses Week to advocate for nurses
Nurses Week is an opportunity to listen, support, and make lasting improvements for nurses. By recognizing their hard work and acting on their feedback, healthcare organizations can create a better experience for nurses and, in turn, improve patient care. So, how to amplify nurses’ voices during Nurses Week and keep that momentum going all year long? Here’s how:
Amplify the voice of nurses
Nurses are at the heart of patient care, playing an essential role in treatment, support, and overall healthcare outcomes. Actively listening to their needs isn’t just considerate — it drives better patient care and fosters a supportive work environment. That’s where Achievers’ comprehensive feedback tools come into play.
With Achievers, healthcare organizations can capture real-time feedback and use it to make meaningful changes that resonate with nurses. Through tailored exercises and immediate insights, leaders can better understand what nurses need to feel supported and stay engaged. This proactive approach, integrated seamlessly into the flow of work, aligns with Achievers’ commitment to innovation, high usage, and providing flexible reporting to ensure every voice leads to actionable results.
Create an impact beyond Nurses Week
While Nurses Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and recognize nurses, ongoing appreciation is key to maintaining momentum year-round. That’s where continuous recognition through the Achievers Employee Experience Platform makes a difference. But why does ongoing recognition matter?
- Better patient care: Valued nurses are more engaged, which translates to higher-quality care.
- Reduced burnout: Continuous recognition helps prevent burnout, keeping energy and morale high.
- Stronger connections: Recognized nurses build stronger relationships with patients and colleagues.
- Improved teamwork: Recognition fosters a positive environment where teams collaborate more effectively.
- Patient-centered focus: Appreciated nurses remain motivated to deliver exceptional patient experiences.
- Data-driven improvements: Real-time feedback fuels innovations in patient care and workplace culture.
Achievers goes beyond simple acknowledgment — it offers the highest frequency of recognition in the industry, ensuring nurses feel seen and appreciated every day. With global excellence, a user-friendly interface, and 24/7 support, Achievers empowers organizations to sustain recognition efforts that boost nurse retention, satisfaction, and overall patient outcomes.
This Nurses Week, start a tradition of continuous appreciation. With Achievers, every day can be a day to celebrate the incredible contributions of nurses.
Cementing nursing appreciation into the culture of healthcare
National Nurses Week is a powerful reminder of the dedication, compassion, and expertise that nurses bring to their roles daily. But let’s not stop there — sustaining the momentum is crucial. Continued recognition throughout the year, supported by feedback software like Achievers, keeps the appreciation and support alive, fostering a culture where nurses feel valued, heard, and empowered to make a difference.
So, thank you to all the nurses out there for your unwavering commitment and tireless efforts in caring for others. Your work shapes the future of healthcare, and your contributions deserve recognition every day, not just during National Nurses Week. Let’s continue celebrating, supporting, and uplifting our nurses, ensuring they have the tools, resources, and appreciation they need to thrive. Here’s to our healthcare heroes!
