National Nursing Week History At Veterans Affairs Canada Canadian Nurses Association Nursing Sisters of Canada

Veterans Affairs Canada Celebrates National Nursing Week

National Nursing Week will be held from May 10 - 16. This is an important week for all nurses in Canada, for the nursing community within Veterans Affairs as well as for all our veteran clients who have benefited from nurses' expertise and care throughout the years.

In honour of the United Nations' International Year of Older Persons, the theme for this 14th edition of National Nursing Week is "Older Persons and Nurses — Partners for Healthy Aging". It is a reminder of the increasing number of older, vital individuals in society and the contributions nurses make to their better health and quality of life. It will also be a time to reflect on the important role older persons play in our lives.

During National Nursing Week, nurses across the country will try to increase the knowledge and understanding of issues, such as medication usage, active living and safety from the perspective of seniors.

History

In 1971, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday, as International Nurses Day. In 1985, in recognition of the dedication and achievements of the nursing profession, the Canadian Minister of Health proclaimed the second week of May as National Nurses Week. May 12 is also recognized as Canada Health Day.

In 1993, the name was changed to National Nursing Week to emphasize the profession's accomplishments as a discipline. The purpose of the week is to increase awareness among the public, policy-makers and governments of the many contributions of nursing to the well-being of Canadians. It is an opportunity to educate Canadians about health issues, to provide information they need to make decisions about their health, and to promote the role of the nurse.

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