What do you think nursing week is really about?

CEN35 · Apr 27, 2001

OK clweed,

Well I personally am quite uncertain about this question. Being your a 1st time poster, I want you to understand there are a lot of different posters here. There are good people, and people that just sem to want to stir the pot. Then there are those that just have their opinions (which there is nothing wrong with).

Personally, I really don't know what nursing week or nurses day is about. I have never seen anything on the news regarding it in the past, and if your not a nurse you probably didn't even know there was a nurses week or what it is?

Unfortunately, as I might catch some negative input, and slamming from this statement, it's a must. There is Secretaries day, Armed forces day (yet there is Memorial day and Veterans day also?), Flag day, Grandparents day, Administrative professionals day, National Bosses day, United Nations day, etc etc etc. I am sure there are many more.........I've sat here and went wtf day is that? I never heard of that? Even on a clander, made by our hospital system there is no mention of nurses week? I bet there is even an EMS day, and so on.

The bottom line, is it all blends in with the rest. Everybody feels they are important, and wants their day. So what does nurses day mean, or nurses week? I have no clue..............sorry if I sound cynical or sarcastic......just my thoughts.

Rick

-jt · Apr 28, 2001

Originally posted by CEN35:
OK clweed,

There is Secretaries day, Armed forces day (yet there is Memorial day and Veterans day also?), Flag day, Grandparents day, Administrative professionals day, National Bosses day, United Nations day, etc etc etc.

Just to help out of your confusion a little...

1953 Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October of the following year. The proclamation was never made.

1954 National Nurse Week was observed from October 11 - 16. The year of the observance marked the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's mission to Crimea. Representative Frances P. Bolton sponsored the bill for a nurse week. Apparently, a bill for a National Nurse Week was introduced in the 1955 Congress, but no action was taken. Congress discontinued its practice of joint resolutions for national weeks of various kinds.

1972 Again a resolution was presented by the House of Representatives for the President to proclaim "National Registered Nurse Day." It did not occur.

1974 In January of that year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) proclaimed that May 12 would be "International Nurse Day." (May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale.) Since 1965, the ICN has celebrated "International Nurse Day."

1974 In February of that year, a week was designated by the White House as National Nurse Week, and President Nixon issued a proclamation.

1978 New Jersey Governor Brendon Byrne declared May 6 as "Nurses Day." Edward Scanlan, of Red Bank, N.J., took up the cause to perpetuate the recognition of nurses in his state. Mr. Scanlan had this date listed in Chase's Calendar of Annual Events. He promoted the celebration on his own.

1981 ANA, along with various nursing organizations, rallied to support a resolution initiated by nurses in New Mexico, through their Congressman, Manuel Lujan, to have May 6, 1982, established as "National Recognition Day for Nurses."

1982 In February, the ANA Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as "National Nurses Day." The action affirmed a joint resolution of the United States Congress designating May 6 as "National Recognition Day for Nurses."

1982 President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on March 25, proclaiming "National Recognition Day for Nurses" to be May 6, 1982.

1990 The ANA Board of Directors expanded the recognition of nurses to a week-long celebration, declaring May 6 - 12, 1991, as National Nurses Week.

1993 The ANA Board of Directors designated May 6 - 12 as permanent dates to observe National Nurses Week in 1994 and in all subsequent years.

1996 The ANA initiated "National RN Recognition Day" on May 6, 1996, to honor the nation's indispensable registered nurses for their tireless commitment 365 days a year. The ANA encourages its 53 state and territorial nurses associations and other organizations to acknowledge May 6, 1996 as "National RN Recognition Day."

1997 The ANA Board of Directors, at the request of the National Student Nurses Association, designated May 8 as National Student Nurses Day.

Jenny P · Apr 28, 2001

Thanks, Julie, for the background information. I've always wondered why May 6th has been delegated as national Nurse Day when May 12th is Florence's b'day. Can you answer that question for me; is it just because NJ Governor Byrne picked that day or what?