Thursday, May 6 marks the annual observation of National Nurses Day. This day kicks off National Nurses Week (May 6-12), which ends on May 12, International Nurses Day and the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. Nightingale lived from 1820-1910.

On National Nurses Day, we say “thank you” to nurses for all that they do. Florence Nightingale is the English nurse who became known as the founder of professional nursing, recognized for her pioneering work during the Crimean War (1853-1856). National Nurses Week was first observed in October 1954, which was the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s mission in Crimea. May 6 was introduced as the date of observance in 1982.

The past year reminds us more than ever of the important role our nurses play in caring for people, particularly in light of the difficult and often extreme circumstances throughout COVID-19. Today and every day, we celebrate the opportunity to recognize nurses for their tireless commitment to providing excellent patient care. Where would we be without our nurses? Now it’s more critical than ever to salute our nurses for working on the frontlines.

At Quest Diagnostics, we celebrate the important work done by nurses. Annually, Quest serves half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and we are committed to empowering our partners with diagnostics and technology that provide insights for action. For more information, contact us at 1.888.491.7900.