Building a Nurses Week Campaign

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6^th (National Nurses Day) through May 12^th, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. This week highlights the way nurses influence, inspire and innovate to improve the healthcare industry. [1]

Celebrations and receptions honoring nursing professionals will be held in healthcare facilities across the U.S. during Nurses Week. A Nurses Week promotional campaign is beneficial to a variety of organizations including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics and home healthcare service providers.

We’ve put together a recommended timeline for planning a great event, complete with a week full of event ideas:

March

• Meet with your hospital marketing/community relations director regarding Nurses Week
• Begin planning special events

April

• Prepare a news release for internal newsletters and publications
• Hang posters in visible locations throughout your location
• Send invitations for events
• Use the ANA National Nurses Week Resource Toolkit for logos, social media graphics and marketing materials like banners and cards

May 1 – 5

• Confirm times and complete logistics of events with appropriate departments

May 6 – 12: Nurses Week

• Kick-off Event and Open House
  • Develop a brief opening ceremony
  • Send invitations to the homes of the nursing staff
  • Decorate with Nurses Week posters and promotional items
  • Provide refreshments and giveaway items
  • Make arrangements for providing hospital tours and provide name tags for guests
• Plan a department open house to introduce employees and volunteers to the nursing department
  • Send an invitation to employees and post flyers throughout the facility
  • Arrange for refreshments and someone to photograph the event
  • Assign team members to create a word-search puzzle, riddles or games about the departments and award prizes
  • Have attendees sign-in and drop their names into a bowl when they arrive and hold a raffle
• Let the patients in your hospital know you care by dedicating a day in their honor
  • Provide refreshments
  • Distribute Nurses Week coloring sheets to children in the hospital for a coloring contest
  • Display the color contest entries throughout the week
  • Decorate nurses’ stations and patient areas with balloons
  • Arrange for a photographer to capture the interaction
• Salute the dedicated nurses who make contributions throughout the year. Hold a special luncheon in their honor and present “Excellence in Nursing” awards and gifts
  • Give your ceremony a name or theme like the “Showcase of Nursing”
  • Arrange for special recognition certificates to be given to staff members
  • Deliver goodie baskets or bouquets of balloons to various departments
  • Provide giveaway items to all house and medical staff
  • Arrange for someone to photograph the event and special award winners
• Acquaint the community with your facility’s nursing team. Provide plenty of opportunities for media coverage
  • Conduct hospital tours and offer free health screenings
  • Invite local media to cover the event
  • Send Nurses Week invitations to local schools, churches, daycare and senior centers
  • Arrange for refreshments and giveaways

Follow Up

• Send post-event news releases with photos to the local media
• Send thank you letters to all who assisted in the Nurses Week events

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Giveaways

• #40072 Original Colored Dispenser w/ Standard Bandages – These brightly colored dispensers are perfect to bring your imprint to life. Complete with 5 bandages which are not made with natural rubber latex.
• #40138 SPF-30 Lip Balm – This moisturizing lip balm offers sun protection with 4-color process decoration to be sure your message gets noticed.
• #55834 Rib Pen – A plunger-action pen with medium point gel ink that matches the barrel color. Available in 9 different colors to coordinate easily with corporate branding.
• #46174 Rounded Spooner Mug 11 oz. – A versatile mug with a coordinating spoon that fits conveniently into the handle.

 

Gifts

• #46157 Swan Vacuum Stainless Steel Bottle – 20 oz. – A sleek and modern design with double wall vacuum insulation to keep drinks hot or cold for hours.
• #41052 HoMedics® Portable Sound Spa – A compact design that helps create a relaxing environment with 3 times settings, 4 calming sounds and an automatic shut-off. Perfect for travelers.
• #32163 Digital Display Aluminum Power Bank 4400 mAh – This sleek power bank will charge 2 devices at once while the digital display let you know how much power is left.
• #15895 KOOZIE® Lunch Break Kooler – A six-pack size kooler bag with added organization and style. Useful pockets and a unique, textured polyester pattern really stand out while the heat-sealed PEVA liner keeps food and drinks cold with ice packs.

Recognition

• #36871 Scalloped Edge Vase – A medium height, slender crystal vase award has scalloped notches cascading down the edges to perfectly frame your message.
• #36869 Acrylic Glow Award – This acrylic plaque-style design has strategically etched lines to frame your logo that create a truly unique “glow” effect.
• #36873 Rainbow Swirl Award – A one-of-a-kind award with a fascinating multi-color swirl twisting through the center of an art glass sphere sitting atop a black base.
• #36599 8×10 Connection Plaque – Rosewood – A sophisticated silver plate adds a modern touch to the classic plaque. Can be displayed as a stand-alone or via wall mount.

For more inspiration, check out the Nurses Week Vertical Market guide on bicgraphic.com.