National Nurses Week is fast approaching, and it’s time to put the final touches on celebrations for your facility’s honorees. From providing extra (and meaningful!) perks to recommitting time, support, and resources, this historical week of celebration is all about thanking the nurses on your team.
Here’s a look at important dates throughout the week of May 6 - May 12:
- National Nurses Day – May 6
- National School Nurse Day – May 11
- National Student Nurses Day - May 8
- International Nurses Day and Florence Nightingale's birthday – May 12
The ANA celebrates National Nurses Month throughout May. It also “supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.”
So what can your facility do to celebrate all nurses in ways that show them how valuable, supported, and appreciated they are? Let’s take a look at 3 ideas that speak to what nurses want.
Sponsor professional development opportunities
Nursing emcompasses lifelong learning. Your facility’s nurses are no doubt dedicated to their profession and want to provide optimal care to their patients. Invest in their passion (and in them) with professional development opportunities that help them hone their interpersonal and leadership skills, reignite their passion for learning, and foster their personal growth.
This may include:
- funding conference attendance/travel, continuing education, professional association dues, or certification exams
- providing business cards
- establishing a regular schedule of expert guest speakers (and making it convenient for your nurses to attend online and in person)
- practicing motivational interviewing
- eliminating scheduling barriers to such opportunities year-round
Offer more flexibility
In a recent survey, 73% of nurses and nursing students said facilities should implement more flexible scheduling. When they have flexibility, nurses have breathing room to help prevent burnout. They also have the necessary support to carve out a more consistent and healthier work-life balance, to experience increased job satisfaction, and to enjoy professional freedom.
Create a resilient workforce and foster a culture that shows your nurses you care about empowering them inside and outside of work. With CareRev, you can schedule per diem nurses according to patient demand in one seamless process - including professionals who can fill in top-of-license gaps.
Prioritize emotional and mental well-being
As a facility leader, you see the emotional toll that nurses face each day. That stress can greatly impact their overall well-being. In fact, research shows that nurses are more committed to providing care for their patients than they are for themselves. There’s no time like National Nurses Week to amp up how your facility improves support for nurses.
Consider initiatives such as:
- establishing peer support teams (and making it convenient for all nurses to participate)
- providing extra PTO throughout the year for mental health
- adding more staffing support to make it easier for nurses to take PTO
- stepping up catered meal options with diverse local restaurant options (and making sure all shifts get to enjoy fresh food)
- collaborating with administrators to consistently help on the units
- dedicating more time and resources to how you share kind words, thanks, and gifts of recognition with all nurses throughout the year
- advocating for more nurses’ voices at decision-making tables
How will your facility celebrate this year’s National Nurses Week?
