FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 3, 2018 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 37
health
Photo via Shutterstock
Local hospitals are preparing
to celebrate nurses this week
BY MADELINE NELSON
Every year from May 6 to 12, the
American Nurses Association (ANA) and
hospitals nationwide celebrate National
Nurses Week to honor and promote the
nursing profession.
ANA began recognizing nurses in 1896
in honor of Florence Nightingale’s eff orts.
Florence Nightingale made great strides
in the profession. During the Crimean
War, she was summoned to bring a group
of nurses to tend to the soldiers. More soldiers
were dying from illnesses like cholera
than wounds.
Nightingale improved the hygiene conditions,
which greatly reduced the death
count. Her experiences and writings
sparked wide reform.
Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S.
Department of Health sent a proposal
to then-President Eisenhower in 1953
to proclaim a national “Nurse Day” in
October of the following year commemorating
the 100th anniversary of Florence
Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. The
proposal was ignored.
In 1954, a bill to observe “National
Nurses Week” from Oct. 11 to 16 was
introduced by a House Representative,
but Congress would not recognize it.
Finally, in January 1974, the
International Council of Nurses (ICN)
proclaimed May 12 as “International
Nurse Day,” and President Nixon issued
a proclamation designating a week as
“National Nurses Week.” ANA designated
May 6 to 12 as permanent dates of
observation in 1990.
Annually, each of ANA’s state and territorial
nurse associations holds celebrations
to recognize the contributions that
nurses make to the community.
This year in Queens, National Nurses
Week will be celebrated with awards that
will be issued to exceptional nurses at New
York-Presbyterian Queens and Jamaica
Hospital who were nominated by colleagues.
There will be additional programs for
nurses to attend and luncheons during
the week to commemorate the nurses at
New York-Presbyterian Queens, Jamaica
Hospital and Elmhurst Hospital.
New York-Presbyterian Queens specifi
cally plans to honor nurses with profi
les on Instagram at @nypqueens and
with sessions for nurses and non-nursing
employees who want to learn more about
the profession.
Presents
In collaboration with the
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
please contact facilitators Jaclyn or Debbie at 908 208 6059 or e mail jdagnallsentosa@gmail.com
We welcome you to take a personalized tour of our Facility!
516 466 3001
2018 Dates
Jan. 18th
Feb. 15th
Mar. 15th
Apr. 19th
May 17th
June 21st
July 19th
Aug. 16th
Sept. 20th
Oct. 18th
Nov. 15th
Dec. 20th www.graceplaza.com
We invite you, your family, other caregivers and friends to join us for our monthly support group.
link
/www.graceplaza.com
