Celebrating National Hospital and Nurses Week
The nation's most traditional health care event unites hospitals, health care workers and communities from coast to coast, building enthusiasm and pride in the giving nature of care. Today, according to the American Hospital Association’s Hospital Statistics, nearly 6,000 hospitals and over five million dedicated staff members serve as beacons of hope in their communities.
National Nurses Week (also beginning on May 6 and ending on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale) is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways in which registered nurses are working to improve health care. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting the expanding health care needs of American society.
Did you know?
- The first hospital on American soil was built in Philadelphia in 1751 at the urging of Benjamin Franklin.
- On May 12, 1921, America celebrated its first National Hospital Day. Fittingly held on Florence Nightingale's birthday (she had died 11 years earlier at the age of 90), it provided a window of opportunity for hospitals to capture the trust of their communities.
- According to Hospital Statistics, hospitals admit almost 37 million patients each year, treat another 117 million in emergency departments and see another 545 million for other outpatient needs. On any given day, 658,000 patients fill U.S. hospital beds.
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