10 Ways to Celebrate National Nurses Week

1. Ask patients or residents to sign thank-you cards for nurses. Distribute the signed cards along with tokens of appreciation on the first day of the week.

2. Make gift-giving more special by handing out items, like lunch bags or personalized apparel, to each nurse individually. Be sure to express your gratitude with a hug or handshake and a sincere “thank you”, too.

3. Host a special dinner! Put a keepsake mug at each place setting to surprise nurses when they arrive.

4. Hold a health fair just for nurses! Offer free blood pressure screenings and handout giveaways, like water bottles, to promote their own good health.

5. Schedule an in-service training during the week and make the topic stress management. Cover healthy ways to deal with stress, such as talking to friends or going for a walk. Hand out personal care items.

6. Use the week to kick off your “Nurse of the Month” recognition program. Choose a special nurse who serves as a role model to honor during this month.

7. Honor your superheroes in scrubs! Share the reasons you think they’re superheroes and gift them with a tote bag or sling bag.

8. Celebrate your nursing students with a special ceremony. Honor them with gifts they can use after graduating.

9. Highlight famous nurses of the past, such as Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton. Quiz your nurses about them and pass out small prizes, like lapel pins, to those who answer correctly.

10. Celebrate your nurses with a custom-made cake from a local bakery. Order one for each shift for the last day of National Nurses Week!