Nurse Appreciation Week is May 6-12
Elevate nurses and show appreciation for their vital work
It's an understatement to say nurses work hard.
Ask any patient, doctor, or hospital administrator. They know nurses keep our health systems running. Hospitals, clinics, nurses' unions, and nursing associations honor them on Nurse Appreciation Day.
The American Nurses Association set the recognition week for May 6 through May 12. Why those dates? Because May 12 is Florence Nightingale's birthday. Born more than 200 years ago, we credit Nightingale for developing nursing as a profession.
Still, you don't wait for an annual appreciation day to thank them for their work. During the pandemic, hospitals and health care organizations stepped up their recognition efforts. Health care systems, unions, and pharmaceutical companies fed nurses on their shifts, sent promotional gifts, and thanked them for their tireless work.
Several special nursing days also recognize nurses in various specialties. By honoring these events, you can spread the love and ensure everyone's work feels valued.
Additional Nursing Recognition Days
Here are the other days, weeks, and months to celebrate nursing specialties. Dates can change yearly, so check the appropriate licensing group to verify which day to recognize.
January
National CRNA Week – January 23-29
National IV Nurse Day – January 25
February
Ambulatory Care Nursing Week – February 7-13
PeriAnesthesia Nurse Awareness Week – February 7-13
Cardiovascular Professionals Week – February 13-19
Critical Care Transport Nurses Day – February 18
March
Certified Nurses Day – March 19
GI Nurses & Associates Week – March 20-26
April
Radiological and Imaging Nurses Day – April 12
WOC Nurse Week – April 17-23
Transplant Nurses Week – April 25-May 2
May
National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month
Oncology Nursing Month
National Nurses Day – May 6
National School Nurse Day – May 6
International Nurses Day – May 12
National Nurses Week – May 6-12 (the ANA also celebrates National Nurses Month throughout May)
Neuroscience Nurses Week – May 15-21
June
National Healthcare Recruiter Recognition Day – June 7
September
Vascular Nurses Week – September 5-11
National Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day – September 8
Nephrology Nurses Week – September 11-17
Nursing Professional Development Week – September 11-17
National Neonatal Nurses Week– September 12-18
October
National Midwifery Week – October 2-8
Pediatric Nurses Week – October 3-7
Emergency Nurses Week – October 9-15
Emergency Nurses Day – October 12
National Case Management Week – October 9-15
International Infection Prevention Week – October 16-22
International Orthopaedic Nurses Day – October 30
November
National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
Medical-Surgical Nurses Week – November 1-7
Urology Nurses and Associates Week – November 1-7
Forensic Nurses Week – November 6-12
National Nurse Practitioner Week – November 13-19
Perioperative Nurses Week – November 13-19
Mark these days on your marketing and recognition calendar! Dates may change, so check the corresponding professional group to ensure you celebrate on the correct days.
What gifts do nurses want?
Nurses spend their days taking care of others. When choosing promotional gifts, consider something they will use for themselves, at home, or with their families.
Some nursing forums suggest avoiding scented products, like scented lotions and body sprays. The scents may cause problems for anyone with odor sensitivities, including patients.
You might also want to your selections. Customized backpacks probably went over well two years ago, but that doesn't mean you should always go with them. Do something different to keep your gifts thoughtful.
When designing a corporate gift, think about the message you want to share. Is there an awareness campaign for new protocols or a slogan you want everyone in the organization to remember? You can use the imprint area for hashtag campaigns, puns, or encouraging mottos.
Time your gift-giving. Everyone on staff should get their present, not just the day shift. Night care nurses and weekend staff also deserve promotional gifts.
11 Ideas for Nurses Appreciation Gifts
There are thousands of promotional gifts to pick from. These are a few suggestions to get you started.
Think outside the ballpoint! A multi-color ink pen or a custom dry erase pen can clip onto badge reels. Nurses may keep them in a chest pocket to use throughout a shift. Send a case of promotional writing instruments to your nurse's stations. They will use these logo-printed pens every day.
Customized Sports Water Bottle
Hydrated nurses are happier and less stressed. At Logotech, we have many water bottles, including recycled plastic bottles and customized insulated stainless steel options. We also recommend fusion water bottles as a slightly different option. These bottles have a core for adding lemon slices, herbs, and berries for extra flavor.
Badge reels are similar to lanyards, holding IDs and keycards for nurses. Retractable badge holders might also hold physical keys, touchless tools, and other small items for which nurses don't have pocket space. Because they are retractable, badge reels do not get in the way or fall into a patient's face when leaning over.
Cute badge reels with cartoon faces, animals, or logos are fun for all nurses, whether they are in oncology or the NICU.
Customized touchless tools have been around for a long time but gained extra traction during the pandemic. Made of hard plastics or a naturally-antimicrobial brass/copper alloy, these tools let nurses open doors, touch keypads, punch elevator buttons, turn a sink handle or flush a toilet without needing to touch the surface themselves.
Want the best of both worlds? Get a Kooty Key attached to a badge reel.
Promotional Hot and Cold Gel Packs
Hospitals have these for patients. Your nurses should get these as well as a promotional gift to keep at home. After a day on their feet helping others, an ice pack on the forehead or a hot compress on the neck can help them relax. You can package them with other stress-relieving promotional gifts, including bubble baths or bath salts.
Custom T-Shirts or Promotional Polo Shirts
We can embroider customized scrubs for you, but wearing nurse scrubs daily can get tiring. Instead, give your staff promotional t-shirts or polo shirts. Some styles repel away water, while others are microbe-resistant. Both are a change from their everyday workwear.
Promotional Tea Sets or Customized Coffee Sets
Some people prefer drinking tea to relax. Others need coffee to get through the day. Give your nursing staff a choice with customized tea and promotional coffee sets. We have collections that include tins, drinking mugs, and other accessories so they can make themselves a soothing cup of tea or a refreshing cup of coffee whenever they need it.
Nurses are particular about their shoes. When they find a style approved by workplace rules that fit well and combat fatigue, they want to protect those shoes. That's why giving your nurses personalized shoe bags is a good idea. These bags protect shoes when outside of work. Initially designed for golfers, these bags provide nurses someplace to stash their shoes, especially if they need to clean them up after a shift.
Healthcare technology has seen giant steps in the past few years. Computer tablets have replaced handwritten notes for home care, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and hospice nurses. These health care providers can log in and update patient records instantly. Give them padfolios to protect their tablet. Padfolios can include notepads to write reminders and extra space to store other essentials.
Branded Power Banks and Custom Wireless Chargers
Smartphones and tablet computers are becoming more common in health care settings. Constant usage can also drain batteries fast.
Our customized power banks include wired options with several ports for various devices. Wireless chargers are also in high demand. Consider this for something different: a journal that also offers wireless charging.
Travel bags are universal in their appeal. Do you want a smaller bag for work conferences or large bags to give traveling medical professionals? We have all the luggage options your staff wants.
What else can you put in customized bags for nurses? Add compression socks, travel hand sanitizer, hard candies (including sugar-free options), and many of our other customized gifts.
Consider a duffel bag with an included shoe bag. These are perfect for swapping gym shoes with dress shoes for events after work.
We realize that the list of gift ideas for Nurses Appreciation Week is large. This is why we also went ahead and created category of curated promo products for healthcare professionals.
Are you ready to give your nursing staff the best new promotional products for Nurse Appreciation Week? Create an account or contact your Logotech Account Manager now. We will get the freshest ideas into your staff's hands STAT.
