This May, the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing celebrates Nurses Month by commemorating all the good that nurses do and their importance to the many people and organizations they serve. Using the American Nurses Association’s 2022 theme of Nurses Make a Difference, the school is encouraging alumni, students, staff, faculty and friends to celebrate, recognize and share stories about the differences nurses make in patient health, research, education and the communities where they live and work.
“The celebration of nurses started with one day, May 12, then became a week and spread, but We feel that nurses make such a positive impact on the world around them that they deserve an entire month,” said Dean Pamela R. Jeffries, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, FSSH. “This year’s national theme is Nurses Make a Difference – something we have always known and something the world has seen throughout the pandemic.”
This month the School of Nursing is inviting students, faculty, staff and alumni to be part of recognizing the nurses who devote their time, talents and passion to the profession. Activities include
- Nurses Month, Week 1 – Focus on self-care. Swing by the School of Nursing lobby to post tips for self-care on posters in the Colleen Conway-Welch Atrium or share them through social media and tag VUSN on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
- May 10 – Gather outside in front of the school for Popsicles on the Patio, provided by the VUSN School Life Committee from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Come early—they may run out!
- May 12 – Join in the Nurses Day festivities with sweet treats in the Colleen Conway-Welch Atrium.
- Nurses Month, Week 3 – Watch VUSN social media accounts for professional development ideas, including resources, lectures, classes, certifications, credential courses and exams.
- May 17 – Nurse and congressional leader Lauren Underwood discusses leadership, nursing and health equity during a special Nurses Month event, “A Conversation with Congresswoman Lauren Underwood.” Watch via Zoom or in person at the school.
- May 19 – The school celebrates achievements with the VUSN School Life Awards during the spring faculty and staff assembly
- Nurses Month, Week 4 – The final week of Nurses Month celebrates outreach, community engagement and all that nurses do to benefit the communities in which they live and work. Please share stories of nurses who make a difference by emailing vusn-communications@vanderbilt.edu or telling your story on social media and tagging us.