National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6th (National Nurses Day) through May 12th, 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
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.