There are nearly 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States. And, 2.4 million of them are actively employed.  Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths  and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. Nurses work in emergency rooms, school based clinics,  and homeless shelters, to name a few. We have many roles – from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher  – and serve all of them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient safety.

National Nurses Week is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways in which registered nurses, the largest health care profession, 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.

Annually, National Nurses Week begins on May 6, marked as RN Recognition Day, and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession.