National Nurses Day is held on May 6 as part of National Nurse Week that ends on May 12, coinciding with Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

National Nurses Day has been in existence since 1965 with its inception by the International Council on Nurses as a day of recognition for some of the health care system’s finest and most dedicated and caring staff members.

Recognizing the dedication and commitment of Iowa nurses, the 6^th Annual “100 Great Iowa Nurses” event was recently held at the Iowa Events Center, showcasing 100 of the best nurses as nominated and selected by their peers from across the state.  Not surprisingly, the vast majority of these nurses work at Iowa’s community hospitals.

We all know a great nurse and today everyone should take the time to thank them for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the patients they serve.  Iowa nurses provide care to patients around the clock in the best and worst of times.  National Nurses Week provides the opportunity to give back by simply saying, “Thank You.”

Here are a few Web sites that offer free, electronic Nurse Day cards to send:

• 123 Greetings
• Blue Mountain