A Moment to Recognize—and Rethink—the Power of Nursing
Before the sun rises in hospitals across America, thousands of nurses are already moving briskly through fluorescent-lit corridors. It’s an unremarkable weekday in May, but something important is happening: for the first time in months, a nurse named Julia—a veteran of 18 years—pauses by a window during her break to breathe, smile, and look out at the city skyline. At that very moment, a local skyscraper shimmers blue and white, aglow as part of the American Nurses Enterprise’s nationwide landmark light-up. It’s a visible, vivid tribute to the unheralded work at nursing stations, in operating theaters, and at patients’ bedsides. In these fleeting moments, the nation is beginning to understand just how much its well-being rests on the resilience and expertise of its nursing workforce.
This year’s National Nurses Week—anchored around International Nurses Day—brings a wave of overdue appreciation. Hospitals, organizations, and advocacy groups are rolling out ambitious plans: national press conferences, educational webinars, and direct engagement with policymakers, all under the banner “The Power of Nurses.” The message is clear. We do not simply need to thank nurses—we need to lift them up, materially and structurally, for the vital roles they play in our society’s health and progress.
Beyond Celebration: Addressing Systemic Challenges in Nursing
A closer look reveals the limits of mere symbolism. Yes, a city landmark bathed in blue is an inspiring gesture, but nurses are still under extraordinary pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the cracks: chronic understaffing, burnout, low pay, and workplace violence made headlines. These issues are deeper than a single crisis. The American Nurses Association, in their latest workplace violence position statement, points out that nearly 1 in 4 nurses experience workplace violence—often unreported and ignored.
Progressive reforms are desperately needed, not just celebratory slogans. As Harvard health policy researcher Dr. Sheila Evans told MSNBC last week, “Gratitude is important, but gratitude must translate into policy. Without real investment in nurse training, safety, and pay equity, we risk losing the very backbone of our healthcare system.”
Organizations stepping up are thankfully becoming more common. Take Medline’s Clinical Nurse Team, which delivered over 250 hours of targeted education and training to hospitals in just this past year. Their approach isn’t performative. Tailored on-site and virtual sessions, hands-on skills labs, and ongoing support aim to build real workplace confidence and best practices—far more than lip service in this era of healthcare labor shortages.
“Our nurse residents are not just surviving—they’re thriving,” shared Kaiser Permanente’s CEO, Mary Kay. “We’re committed to building careers, not just filling shifts. This is how we safeguard the quality of patient care and the future of nursing.”
Kaiser’s approach—to hire more than a quarter of its new workforce straight from its nurse residency program and to support them with robust mentorship—results in a retention rate north of 90%. The national average? Just 62%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Investments like these don’t just make financial sense; they are the blueprint for staving off the looming nursing shortage—and protecting patient safety—over the long haul.
Supporting Nurses Means Supporting Their Health and Well-Being
Behind every strong nurse is a need—the need for systems and tools that prevent burnout, promote physical well-being, and respect the limits of even the most compassionate caregivers. Chronic pain, tired muscles, and venous health problems like deep vein thrombosis or varicose veins inflict a hidden toll. Industry allies such as Dr. Motion—now offering year-round discounts on specialty compression socks for healthcare workers—work to make wellbeing a priority, not a privilege. As Dr. Motion CEO Jamie Chang explained, “Healthy nurses lead to healthy communities.” They recommend mid-range compression (8-15 or 15-20 mmHg) to help nurses combat daily fatigue and long-term health risks. Small innovations, perhaps, but real tools for those who can’t slow down.
Across the country, industry partners, labor unions, and advocacy groups are using this national moment to demand more for nurses. Collective action—be it at the bargaining table or in front of state legislatures—has deep roots. Nurses were at the heart of movements to desegregate hospitals, to demand fair wages, to fight for universal healthcare. Their leadership goes well beyond the bedside. Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first Black professional nurse in the U.S., broke barriers not with words, but with action—a legacy honored in this year’s educational lectures and events.
How do we ensure this week’s gratitude endures beyond the press releases and social media campaigns? We demand better staffing ratios, stronger workplace protections, meaningful investment in nurse training pipelines, and a national conversation about gender and racial equity in healthcare work. Real change means translating slogans about respect into contracts, policy, and everyday practice—a project that benefits not just nurses, but all of us who rely on their care.
The Future Nurses Deserve: Policy, Protection, and True Appreciation
History offers a lesson: lasting progress in health care comes from the consistent, organized pressure of those closest to the problem. The current spate of landmark light-ups and new discount programs signals a growing public awareness—but only bold collective action can close the gap between recognition and reality. According to a recent Pew Research survey, over 80% of Americans trust nurses above any other profession. Isn’t it time our funding, laws, and leadership reflected that trust?
You don’t have to be a policymaker to make an impact. Hold your lawmakers accountable, support organizations advocating for nurses’ rights, and make sure the next time you see a nurse—at a clinic, hospital, or vaccination site—they know their labor is seen, honored, and worthy of enduring investment. This National Nurses Week, let’s do more than appreciate. Let’s help build the future that nurses—and their patients—deserve.
