National Nurses Week 2021: Celebrating CSULB's healthcare heroes

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6 – May 12 to honor the hard-working essential workers who go above and beyond by caring for others every day. 

The COVID-19 epidemic has been a stark, sobering reminder of just how much we are indebted to these medical professionals for their tireless sacrifices. 

“Throughout the pandemic, we have often been reminded of the vital role that nurses play in our healthcare system,” said Cal State Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley.

“At The Beach, we are proud of our many nursing alumni, faculty and students who are delivering quality healthcare across the region, country, and world. Our School of Nursing and faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for excellence in nursing education, and our alumni and students are highly regarded and in high demand in the profession.” 

National Nurses Day, May 6, is the first day of the week-long recognition that concludes on the birthday of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the British nurse, social reformer and statistician who’s best known as the founder of modern nursing, according to History.com and National Today.com.

Her efforts to reform healthcare greatly influenced the quality of care in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The week was first observed in the United States in October 1954 to mark the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s pioneering work in sanitation during the Crimean War.