National Nurses Week 2019 Recap

National Nurses week is an observance of Nurses and an opportunity to express gratitude for all they do. This national celebration has been going on since 1954 thanks to efforts by the American Nurses Association. In addition to President Reagan signing a declaration in 1982, mayors and governors across the United States have also issued their own proclamations for Nurses Week within their communities.

When Nightingale College discovered that Nurses Week had never been officially observed in Utah, where the College is based, they set to work a plan for determining a way to honor nurses during this week-long celebration.

The campaign began by contacting Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah, as well as Mayors within each city a Nightingale DDC is located. The response was overwhelmingly positive. By Nurses Week of 2019, Governor Herbert and Mayors Biskupski, Pike, Dandoy, Walker and Vincent had issued proclamations for the observance of Nurses Week within their respective city.

You may read the Utah Nurses Week May 2019 declaration here.

Additionally, various Nightingale College collaborators spoke on the importance of nurses during city council meetings throughout the state of Utah. Outdoor advertisers also joined in the effort by donating space for billboards wishing Happy Nurses Week.

“Representing local nurses by discussing the critical role they fill in the health care system was a humbling and awesome experience,” said Johnathan Tanner, Vice President of Partnerships for Nightingale College. “It’s important that elected leaders be aware of how vital nurses are to their communities so they may make informed policy decisions that benefit the nursing profession and health care system.”

Nightingale College organized a press conference style event at the steps of the Salt Lake City and County Building on Monday, May 6, 2019 with the original Nurses Week proclamations of both Governor Herbert and Mayor Biskupski. Thomas Reams, Vice President of Finance was present to read the Utah Nurses Week declaration aloud.  Collaborators worked diligently to create a “heart attack” where heart shaped papers were placed on bamboo skewers and set throughout the grounds of Independence Square. Everyone who attended was given the opportunity to pick a heart off the grounds and write a thank you note to nurses who have made a big difference in their lives. These heart-shaped thank you notes will be arranged in vases and presented to nurses at local hospitals and care centers as a kind of paper bouquet.

There are big plans in the works for next year’s National Nurses Week that will spread beyond just the state of Utah.

We hope that you had a wonderful Nurses Week. Nurses are angels dedicated to bettering the lives of others. It is always a good time to pay respect and honor to those who have worked so hard to improve health for a better humanity and a better world. Flame! Forward!