Wednesday marks National Nurses Day, the beginning of National Nurses Week and culminating on International Nurses Day, May 12. Not coincidentally, that's also Florence Nightingale's birthday.
Here in the US, National Nurses Week began in 1954, though it was observed in October. More recently, President Reagan designated May 6 as "National Recognition Day for Nurses" in 1982. The American Nurses Association (ANA) then included the holiday into National Nurses Week in 1990.
Now more than ever, it's important to recognize and thank our nurses for the multiple critical roles they play every day.
To all of the nurses across the country, THANK YOU for all that you do each and every day. Now more than ever, we are especially grateful for your efforts to keep us safe during the #COVID19 pandemic. #ThankYouNurses pic.twitter.com/BYP8kMXXgi
— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) May 6, 2020