Today, we celebrate National Nurses Day to honor the 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States. According to the American Nurses Association:

• There are 2.6 million licensed registered nurses employed in nursing
• 62.2% of  employed RNs work in hospitals
• The average age of employed RNs is 45.5 years
• 45% of RNs are age 50 or older
• 16.8 percent are male RNs
• There are 250,527 RNs prepared as APRNs – 62% are NPs
• 50% of RNs have bachelor’s degree or higher
• 13.2% of RNs have a master’s or doctoral degree
•  Average annual salary for RNS (2008) was $66,973
• Projected job growth in nursing, 2008-2018 is 581,500 j0bs
• Projected % growth in nursing employment, 2008-2018 is 22%
• Projected shortage of nurses to meet healthcare demands by 2025 – 260,000

This day also marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, which ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. What a remarkable woman who had, in those days, such foresight and  somewhat radical views on nursing, and medical practice. It is amazing that today, most of her notes still applies. Recently, a colleague showed this statement Florence Nightingale wrote in 1867 –  her thoughts on what is now home healthcare.

“my view you know is that the ultimate destination is the nursing of the sick in their own homes. … I look to the abolition of all hospitals and workhouse infirmaries. But it is no use to talk about the year 2000.”

To all my nursing colleagues…Happy Nurses Day!! I am so proud and honored to be part of this noble profession. While there are many ways to show appreciation on this special day, a simple “thank you” goes a long way!