This year’s National Nurses Week will be celebrated May 6-12 in honor of the 2.7 million registered nurses throughout the United States. The theme this year is "Nurses are the True Spirit of Caring," and the American Nurses Association plans to highlight nurse staffing issues.

The group’s labor arm, United American Nurses, will educate the public about the effects of the staffing crisis on public health care. United American Nurses will release the UAN Guide to Staffing, a publication for nurses on staffing guidelines, regulatory agencies and ideal staffing contract language.

National Nurses Week will kick off with National RN Recognition Day (May 6), when all RNs are encouraged to wear the ANA RN pin or any other pins that identify them as registered nurses.

The origins of National Nurses Week date back to 1953, when Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October of the following year. But the proclamation was never made.

In 1954, U.S. Rep. Frances Bolton of Ohio sponsored a bill for a nurse week, but Congress did not take action on the proposal. Congress discontinued its practice of joint resolutions for national theme weeks.

In January 1974, the International Council of Nurses proclaimed that May 12––Florence Nightingale’s birthday–– would be "International Nurse Day."

The following month, President Nixon issued a proclamation designating National Nurse Week. Seven years later, the ANA rallied to support a resolution initiated by nurses in New Mexico. The resolution established May 6, 1982, as National Recognition Day for Nurses. President Reagan signed a proclamation.

In 1990, the ANA backed a celebration from May 6-12 as National Nurses Week.