NATIONAL STUDENT NURSE DAY
National Student Nurse Day takes part in National Nurses Week on May 8th. The day honors student nurses as they pursue a career in medicine.
Student Nurses are at the cutting edge of technology, learning the latest life-saving techniques. At the same time, they are practicing skills in programs that have been built upon medical science. Each year, the demand for nurses grows. Now more than ever, the nursing field needs more people dedicated to the field of medicine. Their drive to care, learn, and specialize in nursing will make a difference in the lives of millions of individuals and the families who love them each year.
A registered nurse (RN) will attend four years of nursing school to attain a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Nurses also branch out into specialties advancing their careers into other areas of medicine.
National Student Nurses Day celebrates these students and their achievements.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalStudentNursesDay
Encourage a student nurse you know. As they pursue their career, it can be a challenging time. It’s an overwhelming undertaking and one that friends, family, and peers should support in every way possible. If you’re in the nursing profession, offer words of wisdom and support. Families and friends show your support, too, and let them know how proud you are of their direction and focus. Use #NationalStudentNurseDay to share on social media to give a student nurse you know a shout-out.
NATIONAL STUDENT NURSES DAY HISTORY
In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health proposed a Nurse Day observance. While a proclamation never came, National Nurse Week was observed the following year. The American Nurses Association established National Student Nurse Day to recognizes student nurses in 1998.
May 8th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History
1877
The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens at Gilmore’s Gardens in New York City. Thirty-five breeds were represented by approximately 1,200 dogs.
1886
In Atlanta, Ga, Dr. John Pemberton launched his altered, alcohol-free tonic called Coca-Cola. In face of prohibition, Pemberton’s elixir sold as a temperance drink, though another ingredient contained a form of cocaine (the coca plant is a source). Eventually, a process removing the cocaine from the coca leaves left Coca-Cola free of the schedule II drug.
1945
World War II in Europe officially comes to an end with the unconditional surrender of Germany. Victory in Japan would come three months later.
1999
Nancy Mace graduates from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. She is the first woman to graduate from the military college.
May 8th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) Birthdays
Phillis Wheatley – 1753
While the exact date of her birth is uncertain, history records Phillis Wheatley as the first African American woman to publish a book of poems. She was educated by her Boston slave-holders and soon after the publication of her first book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was emancipated.
Henry Dunant – 1828
In 1863, the Swiss businessman co-founded the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded. The organization is known today as the International Federation of the Red Cross.
Harry S. Truman – 1884
Harry S. Truman took office after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Within a few months, the war in Germany ended, atomic bombs ended the war in Japan, and the Cold War began.
In 1948, Truman famously defeated Thomas Dewey by a narrow margin for reelection. He set out to create social reform with his New Deal and supported the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Akebono Taro – 1969
The American-born sumo wrestler emigrated to Japan. In 1993, he became the first non-Japanese-born sumo wrestler to earn the rank of Yokozuna – the highest rank in Japan’s national sport.
