Promotional Partners: Who's Your Florence Nightingale?

Do you have story to share related to a nurse that made an impact on your life or that of a loved one?

If you answered yes, you might be interested in a promotion during National Nurses Week- which is May 6^th -May 12^th.

National Nurses Week is an established, annual opportunity to build business with hospitals, urgent care centers, nursing schools, rehab facilities, and skilled nursing homes; we would be happy to make recommendations to you.

This year it ends on the 12th – which is actually Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

Historically nurses were not recognized for their efforts in fact, it actually took many years and not one, but two Presidential Proclamations!

What's the timeline?

In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a “Nurse Day” in October of the following year. Unfortunately, the proclamation was never made.

In 1954, National Nurse Week was observed from October 11 – 16. This particular observance marked the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. Representative Frances P. Bolton sponsored the bill for a nurse week. Apparently, a bill for a National Nurse Week was initially introduced in the 1955 Congress, but no action was taken. Congress had discontinued its practice of joint resolutions for national weeks of various kinds.

Again, in 1972, a resolution was presented by the House of Representatives for the President to proclaim “National Registered Nurse Day.” It did not occur.

In January of 1974, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) proclaimed that May 12 would be “International Nurse Day.” (May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale.) Since 1965, the ICN has celebrated “International Nurse Day.”

In February of 1974, a full week was designated by the White House as National Nurse Week, and President Nixon issued a proclamation.

In 1978, New Jersey Governor Brendon Byrne declared May 6 as “Nurses Day.”

In 1981, the American Nurses Association, along with various nursing organizations, rallied to support a resolution initiated by nurses in New Mexico, through their Congressman, Manuel Lujan, to have May 6, 1982, established as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.”

In February 1982, the ANA Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as “National Nurses Day.” The action affirmed a joint resolution of the United States Congress designating May 6 as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.”

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on March 25, proclaiming “National Recognition Day for Nurses” to be May 6, 1982.

In 1990, the ANA Board of Directors expanded the recognition of nurses to a week-long celebration, declaring May 6 – 12, 1991, as National Nurses Week and in 1993 the ANA Board of Directors designated May 6 – 12 as permanent dates to observe National Nurses Week in 1994 and in all subsequent years.

According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), there are around 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States, with 2.4 million of them actively employed. As the largest occupation in health care, nurses are integral to hospitals, clinics and other health care organizations around the nation.

The content of this blog was borrowed from our friends at BIC GRAPHIC, who just happen to supply us with some great healthcare products: