May 6 is National Nurses Day and the beginning of National Nurses Week! Nurses are indispensable to the medical profession, and help ensure that patients receive the highest possible quality of medical care. National Nurses Day and National Nurses Week put the hard-working men and women of the nursing profession in the spotlight. Be sure to show your thanks and appreciation to the nurses in your life!
Here are 10 quick facts about the nursing profession and National Nurses Week.
- In 1982, president Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation recognizing May 6th as “National Recognition Day for Nurses”.
- Every year, National Nurses Week starts on National Nurses Day – May 6th – and ends May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
- Florence Nightingale, also known as “The Lady With the Lamp”, is regarded as the founder of modern nursing.
- The nursing profession has evolved significantly since Nightingale’s efforts in the 19th century. Today, nursing is a gender-neutral profession, and there are many different career paths and certifications for nurses. There’s a wide selection of nursing programs and nurses work in a range of settings including classrooms, community health departments, hospitals, businesses, home health care, and in labs.
- More than half of all health professional students are nursing students.
- In 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2.7 million registered nurses in the United States, making nursing the largest healthcare profession.
- Nurses save lives and improve the outcome of medical care.
- There is a shortage of registered nurses despite the fact that nursing is a growing profession. This speaks to the importance of nurses.
- Malpractice rates among nurse practitioners are quite low. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, fewer than 2% of NPs have been named as the primary defendant in a malpractice case.
- Gallup polls on Honesty/Ethics in Professions consistently rank nurses as the most trusted professionals. Over 80% of participants ranked the honesty and ethical standards of nurses as very high or high for the last 10 years.
Nurses are necessary in providing the best medical care possible. Thank you to all of the nurses on the MANA team, and to nurses everywhere! Be sure show your appreciation to the nurses you know this week!
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