National Emergency Nurses Day – October 12, 2022, history, significance
Emergency Nurses Day is celebrated on the second Wednesday of October every year, which falls on October 12 this year. Nursing as a profession requires a great deal of compassion and expertise, and nurses working in hospital emergency wards have to deal with numerous difficulties all through their working hours.
A special focus is placed on Emergency Nurses Day, which is a part of a wider celebration of Emergency Nurses Week. Events are held around the world to express gratitude and show support for emergency nurses, who provide invaluable care and assistance to those in need.
History of National Emergency Nurses Day
National Emergency Nurses Day has been going strong for many years now. In fact, it first started in 1989, and it has been honored ever since. It was established by the Emergency Nurses Association, and it is part of Emergency Nurses Week. It is deemed as an opportunity for us to shine a light on and appreciate the outstanding commitment of emergency nursing professionals from around the globe.
Emergency Nurses Week came about in 2001, giving the Emergency Nurses Association the opportunity to really show the contributions that emergency nursing professionals make, and National Emergency Nurses Day is arguably the most significant date from this important week.
Speaking about this important day, the president of the Emergency Nurses Association, Patti Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN, said the following:
“We give an unsurpassed level of dedication and commitment to our patients. We give countless hours to our departments with all our focus and energy to improving our patients’ outcomes. We utilize our skills and knowledge to save lives. To my colleagues across the world, thank you for your selfless work in helping those that need your help the most. Today, we recognize your contributions that make a difference in your community.”
In order to thoroughly understand National Emergency Nurses Day, we should shed a little bit of light on the Emergency Nurses Association itself. This was founded in 1970 and it is known as the premier professional nursing association that is dedicated to leadership, innovation, research, education, and advocacy for the purpose of defining the future of emergency nursing.
There are more than 44,000 members of the association across the globe. The Emergency Nurses Association advocates for a number of important things, including patient safety, as well as guiding emergency healthcare public policy and developing industry-leading practice guidelines and standards. So, it is a pretty big deal!
EMERGENCY NURSES DAY TIMELINE
19th Century
Modern Nursing
Modern nursing is established by Florence Nightingale.
1901
Nurses Registration Act
New Zealand becomes the first country to regulate nurses nationally.
1901
Army Nurse Corps
Nurses are appointed to treat the wounded in wars.
1950s
Hospitals Start Employing Nurses
Hospitals become the single largest employers of nurses.
HOW TO OBSERVE EMERGENCY NURSES DAY
Say thank you
If you know someone who is an emergency nurse, show them how much you appreciate their hard work and all of the effort that they put into saving lives. Send them a greeting card or a gift basket on Emergency Nurses Day.
Raise funds
You can observe Emergency Nurses Day by raising funds for your local hospitals and medical centers. ‘Fun runs’ and ‘bake sales’ are very popular fundraising techniques.
Read some real-life stories
You can also read some amazing tales of emergency nurses who have helped to save lives. Browse on social media or hear a nurse recount their stories.
5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT NURSING
Nursing was first taught in India
The first known nursing school was established in India in 250 B.C.
Florence Nightingale pioneered modern nursing
Florence Nightingale introduced sanitation practices to nursing and designed the iconic nursing cap.
It involves a lot of walking
Nurses walk an average of four to five miles in a 12-hour shift.
Many famous people have been nurses
One of them is the famous poet Walt Whitman.
2020 was the Year of the Nurse
The World Health Organization proclaimed 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife and it continues this 2021 because of the pandemic and the increased viability of nurses’ contributions.
WHY EMERGENCY NURSES DAY IS IMPORTANT
It’s a day to express thanks
Emergency Nurses Day expresses gratitude to all the emergency nurses who save lives every day. It offers the opportunity to specially celebrate these unsung heroes.
A day to give back
It’s impossible to repay an emergency nurse for her effort and contribution. Yet Emergency Nurses Day allows us to give back to these champions by letting us say thanks, host fundraisers, and share their stories.
A day to learn more
Take the day as an opportunity to read about how emergency nurses go about their day and do the work they do. The celebration nudges us to better appreciate their dedication
