National Nurses Week is May 6th-12th

Florence Nightengale Scene Photo Courtesy: classicpix.com

(SALEM) - The work of America's 2.9 million registered nurses to save lives and to maintain the health of millions of individuals is the focus of this year's National Nurses Week, celebrated annually May 6th to May 12th throughout the United States.

"Nurses: Strength, Commitment and Compassion," is the theme for 2006 National Nurse's Week which traditionally starts on May 6th and ends on May 12th, the birthday of Florence Nightengale, founder of nursing as a modern profession.

Traditionally, 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 nurses working in the frontiers of public health, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is expanding to meet the healthcare needs of American society.

In Marion County, with a growing and diverse population, and an often heightened need for both physical and mental health needs, nurses are pivotal to the success of the health care system. As a way of celebrating Nurses Week, acknowledge the nurses in your community, organization and workplace by thanking them for the work that they do.