World Nurses Day is an international day of recognition and celebration of nurses, held annually on May 12th. It was first established in 1974 by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) to honor the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

• In the United States, Nurses Week is celebrated from May 6th to May 12th, with May 6th being designated as National Nurses Day. This week-long celebration of nurses was first established by the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 1990, and has since become an annual tradition in the US.
• During Nurses Week, hospitals and healthcare organizations across the country honor and recognize the important contributions of nurses to patient care and the healthcare industry as a whole. Many organizations hold special events, provide gifts and tokens of appreciation, and host educational programs and seminars for their nursing staff.
• The theme of Nurses Week varies from year to year, and is often tied to a broader healthcare or nursing-related theme. In 2021, for example, the theme of Nurses Week was “Frontline Warriors,” in recognition of the critical role that nurses played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Overall, Nurses Week and World Nurses Day serve as important reminders of the vital work that nurses do every day, and provide an opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation for their dedication and commitment to patient care.