InCrowd Celebrate Nurses – National Nurses Week 2013

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

At 3.1 million professionals, nurses comprise the largest health care workforce. Nursing is projected to grow faster than all other occupations, with more than 700,000 new RN jobs by 2020. The growth is needed to meet increasing demand for health care services, as roughly 30 million individuals gain health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, baby boomers age into Medicare and many nurses near retirement.

“Using their knowledge, compassion and skills, nurses work to help individuals maintain and improve their health, educate them about their treatment and care for their bodies and minds throughout the life span,” said American Nurses Association President Karen A. Daley, PhD, RN, FAAN. “This year, we’re recognizing nurses’ impact on elevating the quality of care through innovation and using data to devise more effective care strategies. This work contributes to our ultimate goal: better quality health care for all.”

For Nurses Week, the ANA is offering a free continuing education webinar, “Innovation in Nursing Practice: Are You Leading the Charge?” on May 9 at 1 p.m. EST. The webinar will focus on incorporating innovation into nursing practice and leading the innovation process within organizations as well as spotlight innovations that are improving patient outcomes.