National Nurses Week 2026

What This Week is About 

Nurses Week is a reminder that nursing begins long before the first shift. It begins with the reasons someone chooses this path in the first place - family, service, sacrifice, second chances, and the desire to care for others when it matters most.

That’s why we’re sharing these stories now. Each one reflects the kind of preparation Nightingale is proud to stand behind: support, persistence, and the drive to serve others well.

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This Nurses Week, Let’s Celebrate the People Behind the Care

This year’s featured alumni were chosen because their stories reflect the kind of care Nightingale is proud to prepare: service, resilience, leadership, and commitment to the communities that need nurses most. 

Across the country, communities depend on nurses every day - in hospitals, clinics, homes, and underserved areas where access to care can be limited.

These stories show what that responsibility looks like in real life.

 

Discover the Inspiring Stories of Nightingale College Learners

Meet Frances Lerma, a Las Vegas native balancing life as a mom of four and a fifth-semester learner at Nightingale College. 

Frances always knew she wanted to care for others - but her path to nursing didn’t follow a straight line.

For Frances, it starts with family. She serves families in Las Vegas, a fast-growing region where nursing shortages make access to consistent, compassionate care critical.

With a husband in the Air Force and a home full of soccer games, school events, and family routines, Frances has learned how to thrive in the chaos. Hiking trips, road trips, home-cooked meals, and music all play a part in the life she has built with her family.

Her decision to pursue nursing comes from a deeply personal place. Frances wants to be there for her children in an emergency and for her aging parents as they navigate their own health challenges. She hopes to one day work as a pediatric or NICU nurse, helping families through moments she understands all too well as a mother herself.

Starting college was not easy. Frances began without knowing anyone, but quickly reached out, built connections with other learners, and found support through study groups and shared determination. Nightingale’s online format gave her the flexibility to keep moving toward her goals while staying present for her family.

For Frances, every late-night assignment is part of something bigger: a future where she can care for the people closest to her and for others who need the same kind of support.

Frances’s story reflects the kind of preparation that helps future nurses keep moving forward: flexible learning, support through demanding seasons, and the confidence to care for others when life calls.

How Nightingale supports future nurses Thank a nurse ▼

 

After her son was born with a heart condition and hospitalized, Melody refused to leave his side. Even on her birthday, she stayed in his room. That day, a nurse brought her a small slice of chocolate cake, decorated with a handwritten message: “Happy birthday, Mommy, from Hunter.”

“That was the moment I knew I wanted to be like her,” Melody says.

Now close to becoming a registered nurse herself, Melody carries that same spirit of care into everything she does — not just in her profession, but in her community.

Her commitment to service shows up in many ways. She has delivered Thanksgiving meals, volunteered as a counselor for foster children, and worked with organizations supporting people in disaster-stricken areas. Through her church, she regularly helps serve meals to those in need.

One of her most meaningful commitments is her work with a community in Tijuana, Mexico. What began as a family trip to help build a home has become a yearly tradition. Melody now hopes to expand that effort by creating a supply center next to the medical clinic she helped build.

Her children have followed her example, finding their own ways to give back after joining her on service projects.

Melody’s story reflects the importance of care that goes beyond clinical settings - especially in communities where access to consistent support can be limited.

Balancing family, school, and other responsibilities hasn’t been easy, but Nightingale’s structure has allowed her to stay focused on her goal while continuing to serve others.

For Melody, nursing is about showing up in both big and small moments.

“I could be that person who plants a small seed in someone’s life,” she says. “Something they remember later, something that grows.”

Melody’s journey reflects the kind of preparation that helps future nurses build trust, stay connected to their communities, and make a difference wherever they are needed.

How Nightingale supports future nurses Thank a nurse ▼

 

Before joining Nightingale, Bryan faced seven rejections from nursing schools. But for him, persistence was never optional.

“Failure happens,” he says. “But learning how to overcome and adapt makes you a better nurse - and a better parent.”

A former firefighter from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Bryan made the transition into nursing to better support his family, which includes his wife, a physician assistant, and their three young children.

After earning his LPN and gaining six years of experience, Bryan chose Nightingale’s online RN program for its flexibility. The format allowed him to balance work, school, and family life while continuing to move forward.

“The online portion really allowed me to excel,” he says. “It gave me control over my schedule and helped me stay consistent.”

Bryan graduated with honors in December 2024 and passed the NCLEX on his first attempt. He credits Nightingale’s coaching and coursework for helping him develop the critical thinking skills needed in clinical environments.

Today, Bryan works as the lead esophageal manometry nurse at Northwest Digestive Center in Post Falls, Idaho, where he manages complex patient diagnostics. He has also stepped into a role in the ICU — a reflection of both his preparation and his ability to perform in high-demand settings.

His journey highlights the growing need for nurses who are ready to take on responsibility and contribute to patient care in fast-paced, specialized environments.

For Bryan, one of his proudest moments remains graduating with honors — a reflection of the discipline and focus it took to reach that point.

His advice to others is simple: find your path and stay committed.

“It’s okay to be the minority,” he says. “Find the field that works for you and do your best to help people along the way.”

Bryan’s story reflects the kind of preparation that helps future nurses step into high-impact roles — combining resilience, strong clinical training, and the confidence to keep moving forward.

How Nightingale supports future nurses Thank a nurse ▼

 

Before nursing, Maddie worked as an arborist and wildlife conservationist. She had not originally planned to become a nurse, but after hearing someone close to her speak about Nightingale College, she began to think seriously about what she wanted from a career. Nursing matched what she was looking for, and within about a week, she enrolled.

Maddie balanced full-time work with nursing classes, and the experience challenged her in new ways. Because nursing involves patient safety, the stakes felt higher than they had before. She was no longer learning only for grades; she was learning because real people would depend on her knowledge.

Halfway through the program, Maddie was diagnosed with ADHD. The diagnosis helped explain why testing had felt so difficult, and weekly meetings with her advisor, Amanda Bokish, helped her develop better study strategies and stay on track.

Her journey was not smooth. Maddie failed classes for the first time, went through a difficult breakup, and had to relearn how to study as an adult. Looking back, she credits those challenges with helping her become stronger and more prepared for the realities of nursing.

After graduation, Maddie moved from California to the northwest suburbs of Chicago and accepted a surgical nurse role open to new graduates. About a year and a half later, she had found her footing in the operating room.

Her compassion was later recognized with a DAISY Award, a national honor for extraordinary nursing care nominated by patients and families. The award came after Maddie stayed beside a young woman waiting alone for jaw surgery during an equipment delay, helping calm her anxiety before anesthesia.

Today, Maddie brings warmth into high-pressure clinical spaces. She adapts to each patient's needs: conversation, silence, reassurance, humor, or a steady presence, and supports newer nurses in the OR. She has created small practices of encouragement for her team, including a gratitude board and efforts to make the staff space feel less cold.

Madeline’s story reflects the kind of preparation that helps future nurses bring resilience, empathy, and personal experience into moments when patients need to feel seen.

How Nightingale supports future nurses Thank a nurse ▼

 

At 17, Sarah was forced to grow up quickly. During her senior year of high school, an eviction notice appeared on her door. With her mother struggling with addiction and no safety net to rely on, Sarah dropped out of high school and began working full-time.

Years later, Sarah had built a life she loved. She worked in sales, married her husband, and became a stay-at-home mom. Then, a best friend encouraged her to consider nursing school at Nightingale, reminding her that nursing was already part of her family story through her parents and sister.

That conversation changed the direction of Sarah’s life. With support from her husband, she earned her high school diploma through adult education, tested out of 6 credits in 2 weeks, passed the Accuplacer with advisor support, and was accepted to Nightingale College.

As with many learners who go to nursing school while pregnant, the timing of her first semester became part of her story. Sarah finished finals one day and went into labor the next, giving birth to her son shortly after arriving at the hospital. For her, passing that semester while becoming a mother again confirmed that she was on the right path.

Now in her fourth semester and on track to graduate in August 2027, Sarah is balancing nursing school with raising two young children. Her support system includes her husband, her father, and her best friend, who encouraged her to begin. Together, they study, practice assessments, and help each other through difficult days.

Sarah still faces imposter syndrome, but her purpose keeps her grounded. At first, she wanted to show her children that they could achieve anything, no matter where they started. Over time, that purpose has grown into a desire to become a nurse who protects the human side of care.

Her clinical experiences have strengthened that goal. Through direct focused client care, Sarah has seen classroom learning come to life and learned how nurses adapt when situations do not go exactly as planned.

Sarah’s story reflects the kind of preparation that helps future nurses rebuild confidence, ask for support, and stay connected to the reason they began.

How Nightingale supports future nurses Thank a nurse ▼

 

Yuriko graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in spring 2024, reaching a milestone that began years earlier when she became a mother as a teenager. Growing up as one of ten children with a single father, she entered adulthood with major responsibilities already on her shoulders.

Before earning her degree, Yuriko spent years working in patient healthcare. She tried to pursue nursing through a traditional school, but the demands were intense: she was raising children, studying, and driving more than 100 miles to Las Vegas nearly every day.

Switching to Nightingale gave her a structure that better supported her life. The online format and staff support helped her continue moving forward, even through grief. Yuriko credits her late brother Rocky as one of her greatest motivators, saying he believed in her when she struggled to believe in herself.

Today, Yuriko continues providing care in a long-term healthcare facility, supporting patients with Alzheimer’s and other chronic conditions. Her approach to nursing is deeply personal: she sees patients as family and focuses not only on treatment, but on building trust and relationships.

Yuriko is now married and proud of the example she has set for her four children. Her daughter Zahmara has already graduated from high school with an associate degree as a Certified Nursing Assistant, continuing the family’s connection to care. Yuriko is taking time to recharge, but plans to return to school to become a nurse practitioner.

Her advice to others facing hardship is simple: the journey will be hard, but worth it.

Yuriko’s story reflects the kind of preparation that helps future nurses rise through adversity, care with empathy, and show their families and communities what is possible.

How Nightingale supports future nurses Thank a nurse ▼

 

Thank a Nurse Who Made a Difference  

 

Think of a nurse who made a difference in your life or in the life of someone you care about. You don’t need to personally know them to take part. Nurses Week is a moment to recognize the people behind the care, the ones who show up, support, and stay when it matters most. 

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If Nursing is Calling You, Discover the Path Today

Nursing is one of the most in-demand and impactful professions in healthcare - and every nurse’s path starts with preparation. Every nurse’s story starts somewhere. Sometimes with family. Sometimes with service. Sometimes with the realization that caring for others is the work you want to do.

Whether you are exploring your first nursing program or considering where your path could lead next, Nightingale offers nursing pathways designed to support learners at different stages of the journey, with learner support and preparation to help future nurses grow into the roles their communities need. If this path feels personal to you, it can begin here. 

No one becomes a nurse overnight. It takes preparation, support, and a program that fits real life. At Nightingale, future nurses build knowledge, confidence, and momentum through flexible pathways, learner support, and preparation for the work that comes after graduation.

Explore how Nightingale prepares future nurses to serve with skill, purpose, and care.

Explore pathways for future nurses

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New to Nurses Week? Start Here

• What is Nurses Week really about?

  Nurses Week is about recognizing nurses’ contributions, dedication, and impact across healthcare settings and the communities they serve. It also honors nursing students, educators, and the future of the profession.

• Why does Nurses' Week matter?

  National Nurses Week is observed each year from May 6 through May 12, ending on the birthday of Florence Nightingale. It is a time to recognize the impact nurses make across hospitals, clinics, schools, and communities, and to celebrate the people whose skill and compassion shape care every day.

• What challenges do nurses face?

  Staffing shortages remain one of the most pressing issues in the industry, leading to heavier workloads, longer shifts, and increased stress levels for nurses.

  Nursing burnout and compassion fatigue are widespread, exacerbated by high patient demands, emotional tolls, and limited recovery time.

  Career advancement opportunities and continuing education often prove challenging due to time constraints and financial limitations. Yet they are essential for maintaining licensure and staying current in a rapidly evolving field.

  Nursing career ladders, or formalized and clear ways to advance and pursue excellence in nursing, are as crucial to the industry as they are scarce.

  Workplace safety, both physical and psychological, is a growing concern, particularly in high-intensity environments such as emergency departments or long-term care facilities.

• Is Nurses Week the same week every year?

  Yes. National Nurses Week is observed every year from May 6 to May 12, ending on Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

• Why is Nurses Week important?

  Nurses Week is important because it highlights nurses’ essential role in patient care, public health, community well-being, and the healthcare field as a whole. It is also a time to acknowledge the challenges nurses face.

• How can nursing students celebrate Nurses Week?

  Nursing students can celebrate by thanking mentors, instructors, preceptors, and peers, sharing appreciation on social media, participating in Nurses Week activities, and recognizing those who supported them throughout their learning journey.

• How does Nightingale College celebrate Nurses Week?

  Nightingale College celebrates Nurses Week through social media activities, learner and alumni spotlights, giveaways, trivia, community engagement, and tributes to Florence Nightingale.

• What does “Proud to Prepare Those Who Care” mean?

  It means Nightingale College is proud to support and educate future nurses, helping learners build the skills, resilience, and purpose needed to care for patients, families, and communities.
  

• How can you celebrate and show appreciation during Nurses Week?

  You can thank a nurse, share a note of appreciation, recognize a mentor or peer, give a thoughtful gift, amplify nurses’ stories, or support efforts that improve nurses’ working conditions and professional growth.