The duty of a nurse is like no other. The role of a nurse is one of the most essential roles in society: helping to accommodate the health of people across the globe. Dedicating a day of appreciation for the greathearted workers is the least we can do for their life altering work. 

National Nurse Day will be Thursday May 12th, 2022. A nurse’s career involves great sacrifice in the sense of time. In other words, a nurse’s job never ends. This day is so important, because it shows how essential nurses truly are while giving them the recognition they deserve.  This national holiday was set in motion in 1996 when the American Nurse Association (ANA) dedicated a day to commemorate nurses on May 6th to honor the vigorous work and commitment nurses perform 365 days a year. 

Being the granddaughter of a nurse, Mia was often told stories of how people would overlook nurses simply because they did not hold the “doctor” title. In earlier times where women weren’t recognized for their work, and were expected to not work entirely, one can see how difficult it must have been working to such a great extent in an unrewarding environment. Spring Arbor University states “Inadvertently, this led to gender segregation in the field and promoted the stereotype that nursing was ‘women’s work.’ These challenges in nursing were the norm until the latter half of the 20th century.” This is an example of one of the many challenges nurses had to overcome over the years in order to merely do their jobs. 

The act of nurturing another being is a unique experience. Imagine doing that to many different people every day. Being able to put yourself aside for the majority of your week in order to care for others is much easier said than done. “ Doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals are contemporary real heroes who devote their time, their lives and their health to help those most in need” says A. Różyk-Myrta PhD. The amount of dedication a nurse holds for their patients is tremendous when juggling patient after patient while trying to provide for each one equally. National Nurse Day is an opportunity for all to acknowledge nurses for overcoming their obstacles working as healthcare professionals. We can celebrate this important day through banquets, state and city proclamations, seminars, and expressing our gratitude which are often held worldwide. 

One of the biggest protests for nurses is the National Nurses March held in Washington D.C.  for thousands of people to present admiration and respect to nurses across the globe. “National Nurses March will be marching peacefully on May 12, 2022 in Washington D.C. on a national level in an effort to be heard that will promote change nationally for nurses…” states eventbrite.com. The intent of the march is to bring attention to the obstacles nurses face with a safe workplace, fair wages, violence prevention towards healthcare workers and proper nurse/patient ratios.

With a job as trying as nursing, it is crucial for our nurses to know they are heard and appreciated. “Studies show that meaningful recognition renews an employee’s commitment to their job while deepening their loyalty to their company” Bayada.com voices. No matter what job one is performing, getting praised for hard work ethic and reaching your goals is necessary. It lets the employee know what they are capable of and to continue building their skills altogether. With a role as stressful as nursing where other people’s lives are quite literally in your hands, acknowledgement is needed further than the common position. 

The medical world is a large unforgiving place of work, leaving much room for error. People must come to the realization of the major steps between a patient and their doctor. Nurses are responsible for the majority of those steps, they gather the information that the doctors do not. So when May 12th comes around, see what you can do to show some appreciation for the nurses efforts and what they continue to accomplish everyday.