What is National Nurses Week?
National Nurses Week (May 6–12) is a time to honor the dedication, expertise, and compassion of nurses everywhere. Nurses stand with us in our most vulnerable moments, reducing pain, providing comfort, and offering hope. It takes a rare combination of skill and heart to serve others in times of hurt, fear, and suffering.
This week also raises awareness about the nursing profession, shining a light on the challenges and opportunities facing nursing staff, students, health care teams, patients, and families. The celebration’s roots trace back to 1982, when nurse leaders created the National Nurses Week Foundation to increase recognition of nursing. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush signed the official proclamation making May 6–12 National Nurses Week, ending on Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
Ways to Celebrate Nurses Week 2026
There’s no single way to honor nurses, it’s about meaningful recognition, connection, and care. Here are some creative ideas to celebrate your team:
1. Transform the Unit into a Celebration Space
Decorate the nurses’ station with balloons, photos, and thank-you notes. A festive, personalized space lifts spirits and shows appreciation.
2. Share Thoughtful Gifts
Practical gifts like compression socks, sleep masks, or wellness items make a difference. Small touches, a handwritten thank-you card, a certificate for a car wash, or a favorite snack go a long way.
3. Nourish Nurses with Healthy Food
Provide fresh, energizing options for on-the-go meals and snacks. Fruit, wraps, or an on-the-go salads are small but powerful acts of care.
4. Host a Nurses Week Party
Plan a celebration that brings people together. Whether it’s an ice cream social, a coffee-and-pastry bar, or a themed gathering, shared moments of joy strengthen connection.
5. Create Opportunities for Rest and Renewal
Offer massage chairs, therapy dog visits, or meditation breaks. Nurses give so much; intentional time for restoration matters.
6. Spotlight Wellness
Consider a mini health fair for your staff: blood pressure checks, relaxation stations, and resources for self-care. A focus on wellness tells nurses their health is a priority, too.
7. Personalize your “Thank You”
A handwritten card is one of the simplest, most heartfelt ways to show appreciation. Try phrases like:
- “During Nurses Week, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your care.”
- “Thank you for choosing nursing and making a difference in patients’ lives.”
- “Your compassion and commitment never go unnoticed.”
CHCM Nurses Week Presentations
Another meaningful way to celebrate Nurses Week is by bringing your team together for an educational and inspiring presentation. Inviting a skilled speaker helps promote reflection, connection, and renewed excitement for the work nurses do every day. These sessions not only celebrate accomplishments but also spark motivation and unity across teams.
At Creative Health Care Management (CHCM), we believe Nurses Week is more than celebration, it’s renewal. Our presentations re-energize staff with humor, inspiration, and practical strategies. Sessions can be offered in-person or virtually, tailored to your team, and repeated to reach all shifts.
Presentation Topics include:
- Building and Promoting Healthy Teams
- Thriving in the Workplace
- Strategies for Engagement and Self-Responsibility
- Nursing: The Greatest Show on Earth
- Celebration, Restoration, and Self-Care
- Hands that Heal, Hearts that Care: Reconnecting with Joy and Purpose
- Empowering the Leader Within You
- Honoring Our Shared Humanity
- The Culture of Possibility
- Unlocking the Power of Professional Practice
- AND MORE!
Looking Ahead
Nurses Week 2026 is a chance to celebrate resilience, compassion, and the future of nursing. Whether through gifts, parties, wellness activities, or CHCM’s dynamic presentations, the goal is the same: to remind nurses they are seen, valued, and deeply appreciated.
Ready to make Nurses Week 2026 unforgettable?
Partner with Creative Health Care Management (CHCM) to bring energy, gratitude, and renewal to your team.
Explore our customizable Nurses Week presentations—offered both in-person and virtually—to inspire and re-energize your staff.
MSN, RN
Sara brings over 25 years of nursing experience and over 15 years of nursing leadership with her to Creative Health Care Management. She has served as a nurse manager as well as a Magnet Program Director where she led her organization to their first Magnet Designation.
Sara oversaw a centralized discharge call center, virtual admission, discharge nurses, and patient experience for the hospital and physician clinics. She saw many improved outcomes, including decreasing falls with injuries by 40%, by utilizing a shared governance approach. She also increased outpatient patient satisfaction by 50% through implementing discharge phone calls.