National Nurses Day
- National Nurses Day opens National Nurses Week, May 6-12 and is one of the nation’s largest health care events. National Nurses Week concludes on the birth date of Florence Nightingale.
- More than 2.9 million people work as registered nurses (RNs) in the United States in 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Hallmark was the first greeting card company to create cards specifically for National Nurses Day in 1992.
- Hallmark has offered cards that recognize graduation from nurses’ training since the 1950s.
Holiday History
Always celebrated on May 6
In 1953, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare proposed that then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaim a “Nurses Day”, although Eisenhower did not sign it. Other attempts at establishing a day recognizing nurses were not successful until then-President Richard Nixon proclaimed a National Nurse Week in 1974.
In 1982, a joint congressional resolution designated May 6 as National Recognition Day for Nurses. In 1990, the American Nurses Association expanded the recognition of National Nurses Week (May 6-12) to accommodate the varied schedules of America’s nurses.
National Nurses Day
National Nurses Day Gifts
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National Nurses Day Cards
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In Stores & Online
Available at Hallmark Gold Crown® stores nationwide, online at Hallmark.com and wherever Hallmark products are sold. Use the store locator on Hallmark.com to find the nearest retailer.