National Nursing Week

National Nursing Week 2023


2023 dates and theme

May 8-14, 2023: The National Nursing Week annual celebrations take place from the Monday to the Sunday of the same week as Florence Nightingale’s birthday, May 12.

The theme this year is Our Nurses. Our Future. This theme showcases the many roles that nurses play in a patient’s health-care journey. The pandemic brought to light the courage and commitment that nurses work under every day and showed the important role that nurses play in the community.

Resources

Standard poster sizes: 8.5” x 11” (letter); 8.5” x 14” (legal); 11” x 17” (tabloid)

Social media images: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram

You can also download a large-format poster (18” x 24”) and personalize it by adding your organization’s name and logo. To print a high-quality version of the poster, use a printing facility or upload a high-resolution PDF to an online print vendor. Display it proudly around your facility to show your organization’s support for nurses.

NNW Poster

About National Nursing Week

The week draws attention to nurses, increasing the awareness of the public, policy-makers and governments of the many contributions of nursing to the well-being of Canadians.

In 1971, ICN designated May 12, the birthday of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, as International Nurses Day. In 1985, CNA members passed a resolution to begin negotiations with the federal government to have the week containing May 12 proclaimed as National Nurses Week annually. Soon after, the federal minister of health proclaimed the second week of May as National Nurses Week. In 1993, the name was changed to National Nursing Week to emphasize the profession's accomplishments as a discipline.

Ideas for commemorating

  • On social media:
    • In all your posts, use #CNA2023 #OurNursesOurFuture #IKnowANurse #NationalNursingWeek #IND2023 #Nurses2023 #VoiceToLead
    • Share pictures and stories that create awareness about National Nursing Week.
    • Showcase and describe the diversity of your role, your team and your working environments.
    • Use #IKnowANurse to share stories of exceptional nurses, because everyone knows a nurse who has left a lasting impression!
    • Follow CNA on FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedIn and YouTube

Commemorate nursing — inspirational messages (2022)

We are delighted to present these special messages that acknowledge and thank nurses for their expertise, professionalism and dedication to keeping people healthy.

Contact Us

For general inquiries, please contact reception@cna-aiic.ca.