[Nurse!Nurse!Hello?]

I am curious whether most SNF/LTC facilities acknowledge their nurses during "National Nurses Week." A card? A 'thank you?' Anything??

I have worked at the same facility for 5 years, and the administration has never once even acknowledged the existence of "National Nurses Week." Instead, they make a big deal the following week-- "National Nursing Home Week" -- which certainly doesn't have the same impact.

In other facilities I have worked, the administration would, at the very least, give each nurse a card. I can't help but notice that many area hospitals take out big ads in the newspaper: "Castle Hospital Would Like To Say Thank You To Our Nurses!" Some hospitals give out small gifts, such as a tote bag or waist pack. The only acknowledgement we get is the occasional "Happy Nurses Week" from a patient's family member. From the administration: silence.

So, I would really appreciate your feedback. Does your SNF/LTC facility acknowledge or ignore "National Nurses Week?" Do they celebrate "National Nursing Home Week" instead, believing that to be an acceptable substitution? Just curious....

[rninwch]

OK, I work in a small rural hosptial and they don't acknowledge Nurses Week, instead they call it Hospital Week and everyone gets acknowledged. Which I find silly!

The idea of having a week/day for nurses is to thank them for all they do and while I understand that housekeeping/lab/dietary...are important to the hospital my patients aren't in the hospital for their care, they are there because they need NURSING care.

Now, when Doctor's day came around administration had a huge breakfast for all the docs, gave every one of them gift certificates for dinner and a huge picnic cooler with goodies, BUT nurses get nothing to say "we appreciate you as a nurse". We get hospital week where everyone is told, "we appreciate you as an employee".

I'm not trying to be petty, I appreciate EVERTHING lab/RT/dietary...does that makes my job easier, but is administration so afraid to leave someone out that we just stop celebrating nurses week??

Now, my manager baked a cake and had a small, "Thank You" party at our staff meeting just for nurses week, but it seems obvious that admin. doesn't really care.

[MBA2BRN]

Yes. My hospital is announcing it over the intercom all week several times each day. They also gave out free snacks and massages earlier in the week. On the other hand, no one knew that May 8 was National Student Nurses Day! So, I went around informing everyone, including the nurses and my faculty after I wished them a happy week. Yesterday I also should have taken the massage and snacks!

[RNSC]

Most years my hospital has lumped Nurses Week with National Hospital Employee week. Fun. Not that the the housekeepers and cafe workers don't need a thank you but to be dumped into that group certainly makes nurses look like professionals. This year though admin has made a conscience effort to separate them and the "activities" are different.
However I have always viewed Nurses week with some skeptism. It seems like a good way for admin to say "Good job. Here's your cheapo gift, a pat on the head and now go away little girls" For all the money and time they spend on this kinda stuff why not hire another nurse for my unit or clean the mold or give us a better break room.
Sorry just an old former femanist from the 70's getting grumpy again

[lpnQT25]

Kudos to the nursing student who reminded everyone about her day! I too wanted that recognition as a student. & I had a great nursing instructor who saw to it that our entire class had a great day on that day, I believe she got us a cake and we had a relaxing afternoon instead of tests. As for now... The hospital I work in also does the same... "Employee recognition day".... No nurses day! They cook a free meal for everyone... Which I was off that day. with the kicker... I am a vegetarian.. so they can keep their free hamburgers and hotdogs.... A simple nice job as a "nurse" not an "employee", would be much better ! Atleast Our RN'S got a nice little gift from their union reps. We as LPN'S got nothing.... Deep down I know some of my patients and families appreciate me! that alone keeps me going!

[James Huffman]

Originally Posted by RNSC

Most years my hospital has lumped Nurses Week with National Hospital Employee week. Fun. Not that the the housekeepers and cafe workers don't need a thank you but to be dumped into that group certainly makes nurses look like professionals. This year though admin has made a conscience effort to separate them and the "activities" are different.
However I have always viewed Nurses week with some skeptism. It seems like a good way for admin to say "Good job. Here's your cheapo gift, a pat on the head and now go away little girls" For all the money and time they spend on this kinda stuff why not hire another nurse for my unit or clean the mold or give us a better break room.
Sorry just an old former femanist from the 70's getting grumpy again

OK, I'll be the mean person and say it: I think the whole nurses day/week/month/whatever is a crock. I've said before that were I a hospital administrator, I'd hire someone whose only job was to "make nurses feel appreciated," and I'd pay RNs minimum wage. And you know, I'm sure you could find nurses who would work under these conditions, if only they could periodically be "nurse of the month," or get a doily every May that says, "Nurses are special!"

I always thought it was kind of funny to see the nurses week get-togethers. The women nurses are (90%, at least) beaming with joy at Being Recognized. And the men are looking slightly embarrassed, as if wondering what they're doing there.

The bottom line is this: what I'm paid is recognition enough. I get paid quite well, and that's worth more to me than a plate of stale cake and a Snickers bar. I don't care if I get a pin. Just pay me well.

We don't have National Engineers Week. We don't have an Accountants Day. Companies that employee electricians don't have teas in their honor. Why is the pink-collar professions so crave these little knick-knacks?

And a slight apology to the poster I quoted: in case you haven't noticed, I'm not a feminist. Sometimes grumpy, just not a feminist.

[StrwbryblndRN]

My hospital recognizes the week. However I do not pay attention. I can't stand the the gifts. I appreciate the thought but think the energy could go to something else.
I barely remember my own birthday and the fact that Mother's day is coming up, much less NNW.
I don't mean to down the celebration but just don't feel it myself.

[RNSC]

We don't have National Engineers Week. We don't have an Accountants Day. Companies that employee electricians don't have teas in their honor. Why is the pink-collar professions so crave these little knick-knacks?

Thank you for saying it better than I did. We certainly need more men in the profession to make it a profession. Its not a sexist thing. Its a fact of life that men and women operate at their job worlds differently. Until then we work in a pink collar ghetto. (another 70's word)
I tired to explain some of this to my co-workers and I get "But I like the gifts. I need a new lunch bag, tote, umbrella etc" whatever the gift is.

Sorry to highjack the thread. Maybe I'll start another one

[CorgiMom]

What is the purpose of National Nurses Week? While some believe it is intended to recognize nurses for the work they do, others would argue that it is an opportunity to inform the public about nursing and our value to the health of our citizens.

Nursing is a misunderstood profession. We are so diverse in our roles, our education, our places of employment, and our expertise. I think we need to reframe this discussion to ask: what am I as a nurse going to do during National Nurses Week to provide the public with a better understanding of what my colleagues and I do? Caring for the profession is one of our professional responsibilites.

So its not so much "what are 'they' going to do to recognize me" but "what am I going to do champion the profession"?

[walkingon]

Hmmm....I just started at a LTCF (as a CNA) last month, and they do acknowledge National Nurses' Week. They gave all the nurses nice gifts & goodies. Apparently they don't celebrate National Nursing Home Week, because I never even knew such a week existed until just now.