Nurses Week starts today and stretches through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. At the Erie Times-News, our salute to nurses runs today Friday, May 9. It includes inspiring stories written by and about regional nurses. Here’s the link to stories from 2013 — that link will go live with 2014 stories on Friday.
To see some nationally inspiring stories, check out The American Nurse project, an award-winning book and documentary about five nurses from various backgrounds.
National Nurses Week took decades to become sanctioned, according to the American Nurses Association. In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare proposed Nurses Day to President Eisenhower. A year later, National Nurse Week kicked off from October 11 – 16 celebrating the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s international mission. In 1965, the International Council of Nurses celebrated “International Nurse Day” on Nightingale’s birthday.
In 1974, a week in February became National Nurse Week, thanks to President Nixon. Four years later, May 6 became “Nurses Day” in New Jersey. In 1982, May 6, became “National Recognition Day for Nurses.”
In the 1990s, the week received a permanent recognition.
Hug a nurse today.
Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom of three and step GramPam of two.
