To understand the who, what, and why of Nurses Day on May 6th in the U.S.  (Nurses Week is held annually May 6-12), we need to start with Florence Nightingale.

“It may seem a strange principle to enunciate
as the very first requirement in a hospital
that it should do the sick no harm.”
—–Florence Nightingale , the “Lady with the Lamp”

Briefly, Englishwoman Florence Nightingale was a volunteer nurse with the British Army during the Crimean War in the 1850s. Nightingale campaigned on behalf of better care and conditions for the men, and better sanitation and nutrition, and established the foundation of professional nursing with her nursing school in London. National Nurses Week ends on her birthday.

To put you further in the know about the medical professionals who make a difference in so many lives each day, here are Five Questions and Answers About Nurses Day:

When Did the Official Observance of Nurses Day Begin? Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, in 1953 proposed a “Nurses Day” celebration but it wasn’t approved by President Eisenhower. However, in 1974, President Nixon proclaimed “National Nurses Week,” and in 1982, Congress approved “National Recognition Day for Nurses” which became Nurses Day.

How Many Nurses Work in the United States? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 3.1 million licensed registered nurses are employed along with approximately 728,000 licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses, and 1.5 million healthcare aides.

What Do People Do to Celebrate Nurses Day? Celebrations include parties and receptions, recognition ceremonies and proclamations, as well as giving gifts such as flowers or gift certificates. Greeting cards given by friends, family, and co-workers is a large part of the holiday.

What is the Florence Nightingale Pledge? A modified form of the Hippocratic Oath sworn by doctors, the Florence Nightingale Pledge was composed by Lystra Gretter and a Committee for the Farrand Training School for Nurses, Detroit, Michigan, in 1893, and named in honor of the founder of modern nursing.

Why Do We Celebrate Nurses Day? To foster awareness of the vitally important role nursing professionals play in the healthcare industry. Nurses bring care and comfort to millions of lives each year. Their contributions to quality healthcare, and their commitment and dedication to their profession, is worthy of recognition.

Recognizing the role played by RNs, LPNs, LVNs, CNAs, and healthcare aides and choosing a custom Nurses Day paper greeting card has never been easier. The variety of one-of-a-kind designs created by our international artists has one thing in common: they all say “thanks” to the people who help others every day of the year.

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“I feel a little silly sending a thank you testimonial each time I purchase cards, but I’m so impressed with the service each time I do so that I can’t resist. Thank you for always having such a huge, unique and complete inventory. Thank you for shipping so promptly and packaging so well. Thank you for saving me the trouble of shopping anywhere else for greeting cards. Your company is #1 as far as I’m concerned!” Greg, Jamul, California, April 24, 2012