National Nurse's Week vs. National Hospital Week

Nurses Professionalism

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My hospital has failed to even acknowledge National Nurse's Week. Instead, starting tomorrow they are celebrating, "National Hospital Week". WTH? I've never even heard of this until now. This really rubs some of us nurses the wrong way. Why are we not allowed to have at least our own special day to honor nursing? :confused:

Specializes in Med/Surg.

Our facility had something fun each day last week (celebrated early), culminating with a special Nurses Day Mass on Friday, at which they had a Blessing of Hands. (Catholic Hospital)

Not only did they bless the hands of those present at Mass, but one of the nuns and another RN went to each unit of the hospital to do so. They also came back to the hospital on PMs and NOCs to bless those shifts. It was beautiful and appreciated.

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I worked in a wonderful clinic where the doctors took over and staffed the clinic over lunch so all the nurses could go out to lunch together. And we got to actually go to a restaurant for a real sit down lunch, not just the cafeteria. LOL Our nurse manager would always give us a little something too.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Tele, ICU.

Varied at each hospital. First job in 1991, it was a big to do...something going on everyday. This one, its Hospital Week. But we had Infection Control day, Respiratory Day, Lab Day, Physical Medicine...really the only depts left out of individual recognition is EVS, Dietary, Security and Nursing.

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Specializes in Neuro, Rehab, Ltc mng.

Our hospital is celebrating Healthcare system week. ??? Today we are to have our kids draw pictures the end of the week is celebrated with a pet parade. Oy vey!

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Specializes in PCCN.
My hospital has failed to even acknowledge National Nurse's Week. Instead, starting tomorrow they are celebrating, "National Hospital Week". WTH? I've never even heard of this until now. This really rubs some of us nurses the wrong way. Why are we not allowed to have at least our own special day to honor nursing? :confused:

cause it's quite obvious that hospitals think nurses are useless, as evidenced by how bad they treat us.

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Last year they started celebrating Hospital Week a day early, while it was still nurses week. When I asked why the nurses can't even keep the part of nurses week that's NOT interrupted by hospital week, I was told, "It's nurses DAY, it's hospital WEEK." Ergh...

I made a STINK since then. Every employee satisfaction, magnet, whatever survey that comes out, I've written a diatribe of why the hospital can't run without nurses, and considering we do EVERYTHING that every other department doesn't want to do (really, is there ANYTHING? in the hospital that they can't stick nurses with?), WE DESERVE OUR WEEK!!! They don't take anyone else's weeks/days away. Heck, one department is so important, that on their day, they get the day off.

So we're getting the whole week this year. I think it has more to do with wanting to show off the plans to Magnet than any of my complaints, and the celebration stuff is STUPID, but hey, we got our week back.

I truly believe that "hospital week" was created to solely to take away focus from nurses week. It's not a coincidence it interrupts our week. And want to know how important "hospital week" really is? Google it. All of the top results are companies trying to sell crap to give employees on hospital week.

But really, during respiratory week, does administration tell them that they need to remember that the housekeeping staff is important too? During social work week, are they reminded that there are other staff in the hospital that's also important?

But can't let the nurses celebrate being nurses! Don't want us to start thinking we're important! After all, then we might start thinking that we should get paid well and have tolerable working conditions! We might even start saying, "Ummm, shouldn't housekeeping do the cleaning? Shouldn't respiratory do the respiratory stuff? Shouldn't pharmacy actually do the pharmacy stuff? Shouldn't PT actually do the PT instead of teaching the nurse how to do the PT?"

Everyone at the hospital is important. Of course, if anyone at the hospital decides they don't feel like doing their job, it's the nursing staff that has to pick up the slack and do it. If a nurse doesn't want to do their job? It's another nurse that has to pick up the slack and do it.

So SCREW hospital week. Celebrate nursing week loud and proud!!!!

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Specializes in Psych.

We got food almost every day last week(Tostadas and Horchata, turkey wraps and melon punch, ice cream sundaes), plus they were doing 15 minute chair massages. They also gave us a gym bag with the hospitals name printed on it(last year they gave us insulated lunch bags) with a bag of candy and other goodies inside. This week for hospital week they're continuing the food and massages for the other employees, plus parrafin hand wax treatments!~ For the past 5 years I've worked there they've always made a big deal out of Nurses/Hospital week. It was really nice to feel appreciated and get a few little extras.:yeah:

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Oh, massages would be great. That's what I'm suggesting if anyone ever asks me!! :)

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We got food almost every day last week(Tostadas and Horchata, turkey wraps and melon punch, ice cream sundaes), plus they were doing 15 minute chair massages. They also gave us a gym bag with the hospitals name printed on it(last year they gave us insulated lunch bags) with a bag of candy and other goodies inside. This week for hospital week they're continuing the food and massages for the other employees, plus parrafin hand wax treatments!~ For the past 5 years I've worked there they've always made a big deal out of Nurses/Hospital week. It was really nice to feel appreciated and get a few little extras.:yeah:

Tostadas and horchata? OMG, I'd be in heaven! We got jackets with the hospital name on them this year. There is a BBQ planned at some point this week and I think they may actually be doing some evening things for us night-folks. Oh, and lots of double time pay offered for OT this week since the entire hospital is suffering understaffing. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in cardiac (CCU/Heart Transplant, cath lab).

Before I even read this thread, I walked into work this morning and was ******. Huge banners all over the place celebrating "hospital week" without one mention of recognizing our superb nurses during what has always been Nurse's Week. It spoke volumes to me about the lack of appreciation for all that our nurses do. I thought it was a particularly unwise move considering our hospital is attempting to gain Magnet status...what a joke.

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Specializes in cardiac (CCU/Heart Transplant, cath lab).

Well said....

http://emergencynursingtoday.com/?p=1561

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