As health care organizations worldwide gear up to celebrate nurses, WSHA invites hospital leaders to renew their focus on Committing Action for Resilient Environments (CARE) for patients and staff.
Nurses Week is celebrated each year between May 6-12 to honor nurses’ commitment to compassionate care and their invaluable contributions to society. The celebration begins May 6 on National Nurses Day and concludes May 12 on International Nurses Day. The week coincides with the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, the founder of professional nursing.
Leading up to Nurses Week 2025, the International Council of Nurses has published Caring for nurses strengthens economies, highlighting the global heath workforce crisis and recommending sustainable workforce wellbeing strategies.
Meanwhile, the American Nurses Association is spotlighting The Power of Nurses through various activities, webinars and an appreciation resource toolkit. Tag the association on social media with #NursesLightUpTheSky #ThePowerOfNurses.
Beyond traditional Nurses Week activities, WSHA encourages leaders to consider strategies and resource to enhance overall health care workforce well-being, including:
- The US Surgeon general’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being
- The Joint Commission’s Workforce Safety and Well-Being Resource Center
- The American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments
- The American Hospital Association’s Strengthening the Health Care Workforce Strategies for Now, Near, and Far all provide resources for improving healthcare workforce wellbeing
Not sure where to start? Check out these simple tools to learn more about how caregivers view the health of their work environments and what makes them feel valued:
- Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool – RN Version
- Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool – Team Version
- The Languages of Appreciation Quiz
Healthy leaders are crucial for fostering healthy work environments. Don’t forget to recognize and support nurse leaders. WSHA recently hosted a two-day roundtable for CNOs from Washington’s hospitals that included skills for nurturing their own resilience. Highly resilient leaders are essential for ensuring all nurses have the tools and resources needed to provide the highest quality patient care.
Explore these opportunities to learn more:
- Building Resilience Together: Peer Lead Approach to Nurse Manager Wellness
- Nurse Well-Being – Training
- Nurse Well-Being: Leadership Support
- Rural Nurse Leadership Program
Email genac@wsha.org to share your Nurses Week photos and celebration ideas. (Gena Cooper)