National Nursing Week is the annual celebration of nurses in Canada. Faced with the multiple demands of a challenging and evolving health care system, nurses across the country stand as the pillars of strength, embodying resilience and compassion in the face of adversity. Thank you, nurses, nurse educators, and nursing students, for changing lives and shaping tomorrow.

CASN has organized several events, initiatives, and resources to allow you to join us in celebrating National Nursing Week 2024 from May 6-12, 2024. We invite you to share how you celebrate with CASN on social media using the hashtag #NationalNursingWeek.

Special Message from CASN Executive Director, Cynthia Baker

About National Nursing Week [1]

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

The International Council of Nurses designated May 12 International Nurses’ Day in 1971. In 1985, Canadian Nurses Association 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.

Events

• May 7, 2024 – Dr. Paula Price Signature Event Featuring Simulation*
  • On May 7, 2024, Mount Royal University is hosting the Dr. Paula Price Signature Event Featuring Simulation. The theme is bridging the practice gap between theory and practice across a variety of industries such as nursing, midwifery, music, aviation, social work, child studies and athletic therapy programs.
    • Submitted by: Mikayla Kardynal, Mount Royal University
• May 10, 2024 – Embracing ChatGPT in Nursing Education and Practice – Free CASN webinar
  • An inspiring webinar designed to empower nurse educators across various settings. As technology rapidly advances, healthcare delivery, education, and research are undergoing a paradigm shift. This webinar aims to keep you at the forefront of these changes by focusing on the integration of AI and large language models (LLMs) using ChatGPT as an example in nursing education and practice. May 10, 2024, from 12:30 – 2:30 MST.
• May 12, 2024 – 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.¹
• May 23, 2024 – The evolving intersections of technology and nursing: Preparing for an AI-augmented future – Free CASN webinar
  • In the last few years, there have been visible increases in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to support and amplify all forms of processes and activities within society. Given the growing impact of such emerging technologies on nursing, it is crucial for nursing leaders and educators to develop an understanding of the benefits, drawbacks, and unintended consequences of these technological advancements. To assist with this discussion, implications for the future will be described, touching upon the increasing intersections between humans and technology, and the related impact on elements of the nursing role and healthcare structures.

Initiatives

• Send a Thank You, Nurse Educators Card. Every nurse has been inspired by an educator, preceptor, mentor, or role model throughout their professional journey, and we encourage you to tell them how much you appreciate their guidance and support.
• Below, you will find a Thank You, Nurse Educators Card in English or French that you can print and send to a nurse educator during Nursing Week.

* Cards available in fillable PDFs (English PDF, French PDF)

• On social media, we encourage you to use the hashtag #NationalNursingWeek when you share celebratory stories, photos, messages, and use the hashtag #ThankYouNurseEducators when sharing your Thank You Nurse Educators appreciation cards. 
• Follow CASN on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more celebratory posts.

Resources

• Tajikeimɨk (meaning, “to be healthy”) is a new Mi’kmaw health organization in Nova Scotia. With the support of the Office of Healthcare Professionals Community Fund, stories celebrating Mi’kmaw nurses are being featured in a digital magazine. Terry (T.C.) and Maddie Bernard are high school sweethearts turned healthcare heroes from Eskasoni. Their support of each other to pursue their dreams and give back to their community is inspiring the next generation of Mi’kmaw nurses. Frances MacInyre and Malglit (Margaret) Pelletier are retired Mi’kmaw nurses from Unama’ki (Cape Breton). In this video they talk about their careers at home and beyond, challenges they have overcome, and what the nursing profession means to them.
  • Submitted by: Margot Latimer, RN, PhD, Dalhousie University

Messages

• “#NursesChangingLives. #NursesShapingTomorrow. That’s the theme of Nursing Week in Canada. It’s also what we do every single day as educators, researchers and role models for the 1000+ students at McGill University’s Ingram School of Nursing. Our rich past and long line of distinguished alumni date back to our founding in 1920, and today, our graduates can be found in nursing practice and leadership roles across the globe. As we proudly salute nurses here in Quebec and across Canada, we thank them for their tremendous impact on individuals, families, communities, the nursing profession and the healthcare system as a whole.”

  • Submitted by: Anita J. Gagnon RN, MPH, PhD, Professor and Flora Madeleine Shaw Chair in Nursing. Associate Dean and Director, Ingram School of Nursing. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University

• “Happy National Nursing Week from the Memorial University Faculty of Nursing! We have recently expanded with new learning sites across Newfoundland & Labrador, including Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor & Happy Valley-Goose Bay. From all of us across our beautiful province, heartfelt best wishes this #NationalNursingWeek!”

  • Submitted by: Memorial University Faculty of Nursing

Contact Us 

For general inquiries, please contact inquire@casn.ca. 

[1] Information in the “About National Nursing Week” section comes directly from the Canadian Nurses Association’s “National Nursing Week” webpage: https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/news-events/national-nursing-week. Retrieved April 14, 2024.

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