MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Healthcare, which employs more than 1,700 nurses, will celebrate National Nurses Week with a variety of activities and events beginning on Friday, May 6.

“Nurses Week is a designated time to reflect and appreciate everything the nurses do to provide the best professional quality care,” Dottie Oakes, M.S.N., WVU Hospitals vice president and chief nursing officer, said. “Patients trust and respect nurses and depend on them to be their advocate. This is an opportunity to recognize those nurses who do an outstanding job.”

Events kick off with a film festival featuring the premiere of the video “Nurses – Trusted to Care,” which features WVU Healthcare nurses sharing their personal stories. Other activities include an education fair and a food drive benefiting Project MUSHROOM (Multidisciplinary UnSheltered Homeless Relief Outreach Of Morgantown), a WVU School of Medicine program. In addition, there will be gift basket giveaways for nursing employees throughout the week, and the Friends Gift Shop will offer a one day scrub sale on Monday, May 9.

Nurses Week starts on May 6 and ends on May 12, which is Florence Nightengale’s birthday. The history of Nurses Week dates back to 1953, and in 1982, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 6 to be “National Recognition Day for Nurses.” In 1990, the American Nurses Association Board of Directors expanded the day to a week-long celebration, and in 1993 May 6-12 were declared as the permanent dates to observe National Nurses Week.