ALT-1 An Overview of the National Nurses Week
Although some hospitals in the UK, such as Whipps Cross in East London, have individual days where they celebrate the nurse they employ with special events, it is nothing like the National Nursing Week that takes place annually across the USA in May, from the 6th to the 12th, the latter being the birth date ofFlorence Nightingale.
Each year the week is marked by a special theme. For example, the theme for the 2007 National Nurses week was "Nursing: A Profession and a Passion," which is an appropriate slogan to use during a week that celebrates the dedication and commitment of nearly three million Americans who serve their fellow citizens, saving lives and generally tending to their physical and psychological needs. The whole essence of the week is to both raise awareness of and pay recognition to the wonderful and important work that nurses perform in their communities.
As theAmerican Nurses Association (ANA)have suggested, the celebratory events that can take place during this special week can take many formats, which include advocacy, local/national events, media outreach and promotions.
Advocacy in this context is aimed at raising political awareness of the important roles that nurses perform in the healthcare environment, and identifying their main areas of concern, many of which could be addressed through local or central government healthcare policy changes. An advocacy programme for the week could consist of inviting a politician to accompany nurse during their daily routine, or alternatively arranging a meeting with local organisation managers and politicians where issues of concern can be discussed openly. It can also take the form of encouraging political proclamations extolling the value of the community's nurses.
Local/national events during the week can be more celebratory in nature. For example, they could include recognition articles in praise of the nurse being presented and published in local media. They can include rallies, where specialist healthcare speakers can use the opportunity to encourage, inspire and praise nurses for their dedication and commitment to the community. Equally, special events and parties tend to be held to give a nurse or group of nurses who are considered have deserved special recognition for the work they do in the local community.
In essence, therefore, National Nurses Week provides two unique opportunities. Firstly, it gives the profession the opportunity to share with the community some idea of the work that they do and the pressures that they have to contend with during their working days. This action also allows them to highlight those aspects of there profession where additional help and financial aid is required, for example to improve or add to their equipment assets; seek further training and increases in the level of staff and generally continue to build on the excellent standard of care that is provided by their profession.
Secondly and equally, if not more important, National Nurses week is all about us, as a community, saying thank you to the nurses to whom we owe so much for their dedication in contributing towards our healthcare and well-being. An opportunity to say thank you to the nursing professional for their effort in saving lives, for healing the sick, and thanking them most of all for caring.
