Happy National Nurses Week! Every year, Nurses Week kicks off on May 6th and wraps up on May 12th. This week is all about recognizing the incredible work that nurses do day in and day out.

Did you know that it took 40 years of collective effort to establish national recognition for nurses? Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on May 6th, 1982, declaring National Recognition for Nurses Day. Later, in 1990, the ANA board of Directors expanded the recognition to span a full week, ending on Florence Nightingale’s birthday, May 12th. Florence is hailed as the founder of modern nursing practice. You can read more about her here.

This year, the theme of Nurses Week is simple yet powerful: nurses make a difference. And boy, do they ever! From self-care to professional development to community engagement, nursing professionals everywhere will be celebrating their vital contributions to healthcare.

At MSSI, we want to take this opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the amazing nurses we work with. We’ve received some heartwarming feedback and stories from the facilities and families we partner with, and we couldn’t be prouder of the work our nurses do.

In the last 12 months, we have recognized over 20 exceptional travelers in our Exceptional Caregiver program – sending kudos to our Travelers of the Quarter, DAISY award nominees, and specially recognized travelers at our different facilities. Our travelers all over the country make a huge difference in the lives of not only their patients, but patients’ families, their coworkers, and their entire communities.

Take Peter, for example. Peter was one of our esteemed Travelers of the Quarter. His colleagues commend him for his outstanding performance and inspiration in patient care as an ED RN. Amanda, one of our amazing pediatrics travelers, was described as one of the best travelers her facility has ever had, with unmatched knowledge, competence, and dedication to her job, who went above and beyond to care for a family’s daughter, making a challenging time in the NICU a little smoother.

These stories are just a glimpse into the incredible work that nurses do every single day. So here’s to all the nurses out there – thank you for everything you do. You truly make a difference.